Heart of the Holidays
by Zandrellia
Summary: Reunited in the most unusual of situations, can Kagome and Sesshomaru save the other and give each other the best holiday season ever?
1. Prologue

Obligatory Disclaimer: I clearly do not own any of the characters within (even those who may or may not be originals), any of the settings, concepts, or other potentially copy-written works within this piece. I am merely a vessel; A messenger who conveys a story, nothing more, nothing less.

This is inspired by prompts given by my readers. Anytime a reader gives me a prompt, I will update this piece. How much you get in the form of word-count will be random based on your prompts. Prompts can be anything that you feel is inspiring! However, please keep them at a T rating or below, as this is a holiday story for ALL readers to enjoy! There are no limits on prompts. Give as many as you like. The story will end by Christmas, however, so don't think too long!

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**Prologue**

It was cold. Too cold for any respectable person to leave a poor puppy outside, but that was exactly how he found himself. It seemed that nobody had the generosity within their hearts to extend to him a warm place to rest. The snow was packed around the buildings and houses, making the lights twinkle even brighter against the pale setting. Not that it was snowing anymore; it was far too cold for that. Now, what little of the snow had begun to melt from the pressure of itself had started forming sheets of ice. He padded around them carefully.

Unfortunately, he lacked the control that he expected of his body and slipped on one such ice patch, sliding along until his muddied and dirty body fell in a smelly heap at the feet of four young women. Looking up at them wearily, he waited for the typical responses. A frown here, a sneer there, a sniff of disdain… humans were all alike. They would not be kind to him. And why should they be? He had not exactly been friendly to them; the sense of distrust was mutual. Standing on wobbly legs, tired from the cold, he turned away.


	2. Goodwill

Prompt: The Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth – Bing Crosby & David Bowie via Anne

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**Goodwill**

Two of the young women reacted much the way he expected, turning their noses up at him as one remarked on his abhorrent scent. Truly, they had a right to look down on him. He hadn't a chance for a proper wash in weeks, ever since the first snow fell and the many lakes and rivers began to freeze over, leaving him with little to drink, let alone a bath. One of the girls made an empathetic sound and shook her head, stepping back at the same time as she brought her mitten covered hand to cover her face. Typical.

Yet, it was the fourth who behaved differently, turning in her giant yellow coat and looking down on him with hauntingly familiar blue eyes. Where had he seen such eyes before? He couldn't recall. His eyes widened and he felt the hackles rise along the back of his neck as she knelt before him and took off her dark glove, revealing a milky white hand as she held it out, palm down to show deference to him. When she laughed, he was certain his heart began beating in an odd rhythmic pattern, like a drum. Bump, barump-a-bump, bump. She smiled.

"Don't mind Ayumi, she is allergic to dogs. She doesn't have anything against you." She said gently, keeping her hand still and staring at him with wide expectant eyes. He growled low, trying to deter her. She didn't really want him around, she was just another foolish human who thought to be kind momentarily but only to turn him away when the real work began, he was certain. He had quite enough of such people. She did not turn, she didn't even blink. Several minutes went by as the temperature began to drop further and slowly her friends left them.

The peaceful quiet around them continued as she knelt there in the snow, her body beginning to chill in visible ways as her hand trembled lightly and her lips turned a slight violet hue. Eyes narrowing in irritation, he stepped forward nervously before licking out at her fingers in an attempt to warm them. Was she an idiot? If she continued like this, she would die. He might die, but more likely he would just fall into some form of hibernation. After all, he was not a normal dog by any means. It was unlikely that nature could kill him.


	3. White as Snow

Prompt: Dreaming of a White Christmas via Miss Selah

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**White as Snow**

He followed the young woman more out of pity for the stupid creature than out of the desire to be warm. Or, that is what he told himself on more than one occasion. He wouldn't have given the idea of following her another thought if it weren't for the fact that she was persistent. Any time he stopped, she did, too. She apparently thought that his life was more important than her own meager existence. Part of him, at one point, might have agreed with that sentiment. He had learned to feel empathetic towards the poor humans over the years.

When the girl (although she was less girl than she was woman – but not enough woman to be considered much more than a girl) stood with him beside her at what he presumed to be her residence, an elder woman standing in a red apron with a frown furrowing her brow as she crossed her arms and stared down on him in a mixture of contempt, pity and worry, it took her some while to convince the woman to allow him to stay. The girl appealed to what he guessed was her mother's giving nature, karma, and the nearby holidays.

"Oh, Kagome, he's so very dirty! Are you sure?" The woman looked out at the skies and frowned at the apparent snow beginning to fall once more. Her expression became gentle at that and she shook her head with a sigh, mumbling something beneath her breath about her daughter and stray dogs before stepping aside to allow them to enter. His mind sparked at the girl's given name, a voice hinting that he knew that from somewhere, but he was altogether far too cold and hungry. Something within smelled too delicious for his brain to contemplate useless matters like names.

Storming past the girl and the woman, he barreled into a young boy and marched right into the lap of an elderly gentleman, staring pointedly at the food he held upon chopsticks, his wide mouth awaiting the morsel. The elder man shrieked and threw himself back, pushing away and dropping the food as he did so which left it free for the taking as far as he was concerned and he happily lapped it up, his insides dancing about at the concept of chicken. How long had it been since he had caught a good fowl and consumed it whole?

He had little time to contemplate it as the girl cried out with a mixture of annoyance and amusement, apologizing to her grandfather and presuming to chastise him at the same time. Standing tall, nose even with her midriff, he closed his eyes and turned away from her with a snort, a clear sign of disapproval. The young woman began to try to persuade him to another room, he decided he wasn't moving. Laughter echoed from beyond the young woman and the boy he had shoved aside finally spoke. "A dog! Cool! What is his name? Are we keeping him?"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "He sure is stubborn!" She looked to her mother, who stood in the dining room entry and was shaking her head with mirth dancing in her brown gaze. "Maybe he is hungry? I'm sure it has been a while since he ate something. I could probably convince him to bathe if I fed him something." Her mother seemed to agree to this, going past the commotion and returning with a bowl of pan fried chicken. When she handed it to Kagome, he opened his eyes once more and turned to pierce her with his amber gaze.

She laughed as he pushed against her hands with his snout, trying to get the chicken. Raising her arms up, she shook her head. "You're going to have to try harder than that! I'm immune to doggy pouts!" With that declaration, she stood and raced towards the stairwell, leading up into the home and held the bowl out tauntingly. "Do you want it? If you want it, you have to come get it!" At first, he thought to not bother with her teasing. She was inferior, even if she was pitiable; there was no reason for him to obey her.

His stomach growled and he gave a huff, turning to pad over to where she stood, holding the bowl just above his reach. With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she proceeded up the stairs and stood at the top before shaking the bowl once more. Looking from her to the other inhabitants of the home he let out a slow sigh, wondering if they realized how close to torture this was, before doing as she insisted and climbing the steps carefully. His legs attempted to give out, but he refused to fall under their watch. He was still proud.

After several minutes of this, he finally grew tired of her merciless taunts. Tackling her and the chicken to the floor, he proceeded to devour it while she crawled out from beneath him and closed the door. As the lock clicked, he realized that he had been tricked and they were standing in a bathroom. She rolled her sleeves up as if she knew a fight was coming. Sure enough, they scuffled for some time, before both dog and girl were thoroughly wet and soapy. She did not yell at him when he growled and snapped. Instead, she smiled fondly.

When he was finally washed, which took some time as he was very dirty, she proceeded to towel dry him and even used some sort of loud device that produced a pleasantly warm blast of air to make sure he was completely dry. Once finished, she finally opened the door and turned to pat him on the head before going down the stairs and leaving him, blinking after her. What was that, exactly? Sure, he had been treated in sweet gestures by humans who meant to belittle him, but somehow he had the feeling that she was genuinely thanking him.

A few moments later and he followed her down the stairs, trailing her scent that tickled at the back of his mind as familiar but as usual, forgettable. Her mother was the first to respond as he lightly stepped into their living room, all four occupants of the home seated around a table with a blanket draped beneath it. "Another white dog with golden eyes… oh, Kagome." The woman trailed off, her tone implying sympathy. The girl in question gave a broken laugh before reaching up to rub at the back of her head, embarrassed. Why was entirely beyond him.

The boy spoke up next, not having lost his youthful exuberance. "What is his name? I think it should be something cool, like…" He was cut off by a sharp glare from both females, as they clearly knew what the boy was going to pick and didn't approve. The boy shrugged and sat back. "So, are we going to keep him? It would be fun to have a dog! I could take him outside and teach him a few tricks! He looks smart!" Obviously, the boy's judgment was sound. Perhaps the boy could be of some use in the future.

Kagome frowned. "We're not naming him after one of your video game characters!" She yelled, crossing her arms. "Besides, he should have a name that is meaningful. He does look an awful lot like them…" At this, she trailed off and looked to her mother with a small apologetic smile. "That just makes me want to give him a name that is unique and important, not just fun sounding." She looked to him and their gazes locked as he stared into her searching blue eyes, wondering who he was constantly being compared to. "What about… Yuki… for snow and luck."


	4. Everybody Seems so Happy

Prompt: What's This? from The Nightmare Before Christmas via wallflowerotaku

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**Everybody Seems so Happy  
**

He sat near the door, awaiting the moment he might be thrown out with a strange sense of anticipation. It was the usual way of things. Humans would take him in, feed him some tiny morsels which barely filled him, give him a space to rest his head (usually a shed or other non-heated and separate place), and as quickly as their sympathy allowed them to bring him within their homes, they would remove him for some reason or another. The child is afraid of larger dogs; dogs have fleas (he only owned one, why were they so discriminatory?)… excuses.

It wasn't until after the boy, whom he learned was named Souta after Kagome had yelled at him once more for attempting to present another name option (something beginning with dog? Perhaps the boy's judgment wasn't as sound as he first thought.), went to bed that things began to take a different turn. Instead of turning him out into the snow, the mother set a bowl of remaining chicken at his side and retreated somewhere upstairs, presumably to sleep. He began to relax, although he still didn't trust the humans. Once he was finished eating, he expected to be ignored.

Surely, in the morning, he would be taken outside. Perhaps, they might even call those humans in uniforms that came around and collected him occasionally. They had already attempted to murder him many times. He could still recall the heady and pungent odor of death lingering within the small chamber as the young man with sorrow-filled eyes watched him. The box filled with a strange smelling miasma. Apparently, the gas killed lesser dogs but he was not a pet – he was youkai. After a few attempts the humans who worked at the murder facility labeled him a special case. Wonderful.

How great it was to be special in the eyes of a human. That was what led him to this problem to begin with! He snorted and stood, thinking to explore the home for the time he was allowed to remain, but he stopped when the tingle of purity reached out towards him, as if to calm him. Eyes widening slightly, he turned to look towards the remaining humans. The elderly gentleman had already passed out and he emitted no power whatsoever. That left the young woman who was laughing at some humans behaving inanely on the moving picture box.

Stepping closer to her, but making no noise to alert her, he sniffed carefully. His nose tingled with her purity as he took in her scent, again assaulted with a sense of de ja vu. Kagome turned to him, as if noticing he had come closer, and smiled at him before gesturing he come closer. Against his better judgment, he allowed his curiosity and he went to the girl, standing firmly beside her. When she threw her arms around him and buried her face into his fur, cuddling him, his eyes widened momentarily and he let out a small growl.

Instead of responding how he expected, she let out a giggle and her grip on him increased. "I must be crazy!" She muttered into his white coat and he let out a small sigh as he agreed with her sentiment. Rather than being content with holding him, she continued to talk to him as if she knew he could understand her. "Somehow, I get the feeling you are like them… but if you were, you wouldn't stay a dog forever. Right now, you'd be in my face huffing about the indignities I've imposed on you." She gave a rueful smile.

A yawn overcame her and she stretched before turning the picture box off and looking to him with a gentle expression. "It's time for bed, Yuki. Come on, you don't want to stay down here with grandpa, it gets very cold in this room unless you sleep under the kotatsu – and you've been cold enough!" As if that decided it, she ran her hand over his head, eliciting a strange sense of foreboding wonder within him as she turned to go up the stairs, switching off lights as she did so until she was left to stumble in the darkness.

He followed her, frowning at the use of her name for him. That was not his name. If his mother could hear someone calling him Yuki, she would probably laugh and then dismember them for the insult on their family. Nothing about him had anything to do with snow and he certainly was not lucky. If he had been lucky, he wouldn't have been in this mess. If he had been like snow, perhaps he could have been colder and thus wouldn't have had to endure being trapped like this for an eternity. He was the circle of death, Sesshomaru.

Not that he could tell her this, and thus his complaints were pointless. With a huff, he entered a room behind her, not all enjoying how he constantly had to follow instead of lead. An alpha always went first, but here he was demoted to the rank of a beta, perhaps worse, and had to wait to be allowed into spaces. Curse his lack of opposable thumbs! Closing his eyes for a few moments as the girl closed the door gently before giving another yawn and climbing into her bed, he thought over the folly of his own word choices.

Instead of lingering on pity, he noted how quickly the girl trusted him and fell into a deep slumber, the only light coming from the window. His nose twitched as he picked up on the fact that this room was practically swimming in the girl's scent. Again, he found himself burdened with a sense of recollection, but he couldn't quite place it. Deciding to get to the bottom of this, he began to search out a better source of the smell. Coming to her desk he knocked over papers, pens, and a book, each time looking to the snoring girl.

She could sleep through anything. He grinned. If he was going to be kicked to the curb by the morning, he could at least have a little fun. Turning to eye her dresser he stalked over and gripped one of the knobs between his teeth before pulling it open and finding it filled with small, mostly white, cotton and silk garments that elicited her scent heaviest. Like the puppy he was sure they thought he was, he tackled the clothes and began to shred them, tossing bits of material about like snow and thoroughly making a mess of her room.

By morning, he was certain to have a good laugh as they complained about taking in their guest and would at least be amused as he went about searching for his next meal. As expected, the girl woke with a startled cry, hands covering her mouth as looked around the room with a shake of her head before giving a sigh. Her shoulders slumped and he waited for the salty smell of tears. Instead, she looked up at him after a few moments with a lopsided grin on her face. "I guess you haven't had much fun lately." She laughed.

His eyes widened slightly at that. Rather than being angry with him, the girl seemed to take the blame. How peculiar. She stood and went to open the door, looking out and calling down the steps. "Mama! I have a bit of a problem! Could you feed Yuki while I clean up?" Her mother hummed in amusement before calling back that she already had food ready for him. Kagome looked to him with a smile. "Go on, go eat and I'll come down in a bit. Later, we'll go buy some things for you... and more underwear for me." Sorry.

Sesshomaru had not felt sorry for his actions for such a long time that the sensation was practically foreign to him. His heart constricted as he stared about the room, wondering if perhaps this young girl was just too naive to know that her behavior was abnormal. She should scold him and send him away, not apologize for his sake and offer to purchase items for his care. Turning away, he left her to clean up the mess, wondering if this meant that she intended to keep him. Some humans held such delusions and thought they could own him. Foolish.

Once downstairs, he fully anticipated the mother feeding him and promptly tossing him out into the snow when her daughter told her what he had done. Instead, after finishing his meal, he waited by the window and watched the scenery as the girl came down to eat her meal. When she told her family what he had done, instead of turning to give him glares, they all had positive reactions. Her mother shook her head with a laugh, her grandfather even seemed amused, and her brother gave him a thumbs up, as if to imply approval. What were these humans?

Watching them as they discussed purchasing the items they would need to keep and care for a dog, none showing any hint of displeasure, he wondered at the strange sensations within his mind. His heart twisted as he returned his gaze to the scenery in an attempt to ignore the warmth that was beginning to seep into his bones. Perhaps, tomorrow, they would grow tired of him. Clinging to that thought, he lay down beside the window and sought comfort in the chilly feel of the tiles beneath him, trying not to become accustomed to the comforts of a home.


	5. A Lifetime of Complaints

Prompt: Scrooge via 1CarinoInu

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**A Lifetime of Complaints  
**

The family left him where he was, placing fresh food and water out for him and making note to not only leave the moving picture box on, but also tell him that they were doing so for his amusement. Why they thought a dog might be interested in such things, he wasn't sure. When they departed to go shopping, he was left alone in the house (although not alone entirely, as the grandfather remained home to work at the shrine they apparently operated) and with a huff, he lay his head down and contemplated his situation. What would he do?

He couldn't possibly remain here. The longer he stayed, the more painful it was whenever they grew tired of him. Either he would be too much of a financial burden, or he would be too destructive, or he shed too much in the springtime, or he was too loud… there was always something. Why should this family be different? Was he not a burden upon them? A loud scream came from the moving picture box – something he had learned today was called a television. Curiously, he went over to sit before the kotatsu, watching the humans within the box interact.

Sesshomaru couldn't help but find himself interested in the story. The elder human male seemed to be rather unforgiving and focused on no others, only himself. Sesshomaru found that he agreed with this concept. Why should one who has done well with their life give up all they have fought for just for the whims of a few lesser humans? Eventually, his head rested on the kotatsu as his eyes darted back and forth across the screen, brows shifting in concern, amusement, and anger. This story did not have the kind of happy ending he wanted to hear. Too familiar.

It was too similar. Too much like his situation. Unlike the old miser in the story, however, he had spent his life behaving in such a self-centered way, only to finally give in toward the caring of another. When that had happened, he found himself trapped on the path that he currently walked. A day did not pass where he did not think on the human he had entrusted himself to and thus how he had ended up cursed as it was, forever stuck in this tiny dog form – not even a true representation of his power. He was helpless.

That, of course, had been the point. When the witch had told him that he had two options, he could save the child he had come to cherish or he could walk away – he knew which choice he would make. It was not much of a choice, after all. The decision was made simply, without considering all the possibilities. The witch had laughed and cursed him to this form, proclaiming that he would not be able to escape this form until he received the true love of another. Expecting that would be Rin, he watched as she took a breath.

When Rin looked to him, finally alive once more, he waited for her to give her love to him so that he might return to his normal form. Instead, no matter how many times she might hug him and say how much she adored him, she obviously did not love him as he remained as he was, forever trapped. It had been several hundred years at this point, and he had long given up any hope of breaking the curse. Now, he simply waited for death to claim him. It had to come at some point, right? Someday, hopefully soon.

The remaining message of the story had been lost on Sesshomaru as he ignored it in favor of his thoughts. These memories were broken by the cacophony of sounds coming from Kagome and her family as they returned. She went over to him and presented a long red string that had a large plate attached to it. Engraved on the plate was the name she had given him, Yuki, along with her own name and a string of numbers. "So you can find your way home if you ever get lost." She declared while snapping it about his neck. Lost?

He realized that she still meant to keep him, growling low at this. As usual, her behavior was strange to say the least and she laughed before reaching up to scratch at his head playfully. Sesshomaru closed his eyes and tried to fight off the pleasant sensations this brought up, but he couldn't help himself as he let out a happy hum and allowed her to draw him close once more. Perhaps, he could indulge the idiotic human girl and remain for a while. It might be painful whenever they grew tired of him, but what was a little pain?


	6. Sacrifices

Prompt: The Gift of the Magi via wallflowerotaku

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**Sacrifices  
**

Sesshomaru followed the familiar scented young woman about her day as she opened up packages with as much delight as one would expect if the contents had been hers. Instead, they were shiny metal bowls for him, one of which she poured water into and set into a corner of the dining area that had been designated for him by a blue and yellow cloth placemat her mother had put there. After the water, the other bowl was set aside and she looked to him with a happy smile. "I convinced mama that you're not a kibble kind of dog."

For a moment, he wondered what she meant, but then he recalled the small hard bits of food that the murder facility fed him. They would do in a pinch, but he had to agree with her that he was not the sort to eat such things on a regular basis. When the young woman left him to go outside for something she had apparently forgot, her mother came up to kneel beside him then, petting him gently on the head and looking him in the eye as she spoke to him and not about him for the first time.

"You are an expensive addition to our household! However, I hope that you can fill the void in my daughter's heart. If you can do only that, you are worth all the fresh meat and vegetables in the world." Sesshomaru stared at the woman, contemplating what she had just expressed. A void in her heart? Wouldn't she die from such a complication? He didn't fully understand human speech, particularly modern speech. Over the years, many things had been lost to him as he was continually shunned as nothing more than a beast. As such, he knew little about their expressions.

Still, he wasn't stupid. It was obvious that he was a replacement for someone or something. The question was… what? Dogs of his coloring were rather average, although most did not have the shiny moonlight hue that he inherited from his mother. Golden eyes were also not an unusual trait. Had she owned a dog similar to him before? Kagome did not seem negligent, what had happened to that dog? Perhaps it passed away? At this, his curiosity was thoroughly piqued and he turned from the woman and began to sniff about the house for any sign of another canine.

It was then that he found traces of a scent he had not expected to ever find again. Eyes widening as he paused and sniffed the kotatsu once more, carefully peeling apart the layers of smells, he found hints of something that could only be described as … no, it wasn't possible! Dashing up the stairs, he pushed into Kagome's room and began to sniff about, burrowing between her blanket and sheets as his search became more intense. His nose did not lie. Yet, it was not possible that his half-brother had been in this house, been among this family.

The hanyou's scent lingered, buried deep within the confines of the cloth. How was this possible? Sesshomaru let out a huff and fell into the bed, not bothering to extract himself from beneath Kagome's blankets as he lay there and contemplated things. Instead of focusing on the matter at hand, however, his mind wandered to his past. The more he inhaled his sibling's scent, the more he could plainly recall those horrific days. Days where he, unable to properly guide and protect his ward, was left to watch her join InuYasha's pack… where she grew more fond of the hanyou.

He had grown to hate his own ward. His loathing for the girl grew and with it, the painful ice within his heart spread. How could she give her love so freely to the hanyou? Yet, when he had needed her – she had been able to do nothing! As far as Sesshomaru was concerned, it was a clear sign that she had never loved him, had merely used him. Still, he thought with a malicious grin, fate had been on his side. With Rin and InuYasha's love came loss for both of them. They hurt the very people they loved.

With InuYasha's growing affections for the younger girl, he had once again hurt the girl that had stubbornly traveled by his side and assisted him in the destruction of Naraku. The miko left in tears, unable to take any more. Sesshomaru's brow furrowed as he tried to recall the moment, but it had been so long ago he could only remember vague images. It was no matter. Her face was irrelevant to the joy that moment had brought him. Watching InuYasha suffer was all he needed to keep that moment within his heart. What a suffering it had been, too!

When Rin came to lament the issue to him, sobbing into her hands at how everything was going wrong, Sesshomaru made a point to walk away. The young woman finally realized that she had lost her guardian and companion in him, her sobs growing with intensity. Sesshomaru watched from a distance as the hanyou came to her, only for her to shove him away while sobbing that they only hurt others by being together. What Sesshomaru had not seen, turning from the moment with a content feeling in his heart and leaving them to their misery, had been the response.

Instead of growing in hate for the other, instead of allowing her momentary grief to hinder their love, InuYasha had remained patiently at her side. When the tears were all gone, he held her and told her that he would love her regardless of what others thought. Yes, it was sad that they had injured people they cared for deeply, but it would be even more regrettable if they did so and failed to be happy together. With that, the hanyou and the young former ward lived together for many years, knowing they had sacrificed so much for their love.


	7. Was it Really a Dream?

Prompt: The Nutcracker via wallflowerotaku

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**Was it Really a Dream?  
**

Kagome frowned as she trudged down the slippery stairs that led up to her home, making note to remind grandfather that he and Souta should break up the ice soon and salt the steps. After retrieving the paper bag she'd forgotten from the car, she turned with a bright smile and patted the brown textured material before turning to go back up, mind wandering on how happy she was for the first time in a long while. Yuki had come into her life just when she'd needed someone most. For that, she swore she would give him a happy home.

In that moment, her eyes widened as she realized that she had accidentally stepped on one of the slippery patches of ice. Her footing lost, she let out a scream if fright as she knew what was to come. Horrified, she watched as the sky came into her vision, snow beginning to fall around her as her body painfully crushed against the steps. When the terrible crunch met with the squishing sound of her fall, echoing in the distance, she screamed again – this time from the monumental pain that raced through her leg before stabbing at her heart and mind.

From upstairs, still burrowed beneath her blankets, Sesshomaru's ears twitched and his eyes popped open as he heard Kagome's terrified cry and, without a seconds consideration, he barreled down the stairs only to be met with the barrier of a closed front door. In irritation, he scratched at the door impatiently, before her mother stepped out of the kitchen, face contorting in confusion. Her eyes widened slightly in understanding moments later. "Oh! Of course!" When she opened the door, he shoved past and darted down the stairs so quickly that the woman was positive he couldn't be a normal dog.

She was so surprised and worried that the dog would leave her daughter that she ran out into the snow, not heeding to put on her shoes instead of her slippers, and rushed past her father towards the top of the stairs. Her mouth fell open when she saw, just about halfway down the stairs, her daughter crumpled in a painful heap on the steps and her dog beside her, sniffing her carefully as if to assure she was not injured. When Yuki looked away from Kagome, piercing her with his gaze, the mother knew then that something was wrong.

"Father! Souta! Help! Quick!" She called out, looking down to take careful steps along the stairs and coming to a halt beside her daughter. "Kagome! Kagome, can you hear me?" The mother cried, hoping her pleas would reach her child. Kagome did not respond. Terrified, she reached out with trembling fingers to see if the girl had a pulse. With a relieved sigh, she sat back, content in the fact that her daughter had merely passed out from the shock of the fall. Yuki nuzzled at her shoulder before going around and nudging at Kagome's left leg. It was broken.

After managing to get Kagome into the car, the mother left with her daughter, leaving the males at home. The grandfather returned to his work, giving orders to his grandson to deal with the stairs. Sesshomaru, however, sat still as could be and waited on that very step that Kagome had fallen from. His heart hadn't stopped racing ever since he heard her frightened cry. The sound itself had stabbed into his soul, emitting a painful sensation that he had not experienced in years. His concern for the girl was not unlike his worry whenever Rin had been in trouble.

Why he was so worried was beyond him. Hadn't he already known this was going to be painful? Making things more difficult by getting attached was not going to help anything! In an attempt of willpower, he lifted a paw and tried to move away, tried to turn and go back indoors to the warmth of the house, tried to convince himself that he would rather be a million other places than in that cold, wet patch of snow waiting for a young woman-child to return. Giving off a whimper of defeat, he set his paw back down and waited.

Minutes turned to hours and before he knew it, darkness had fallen – as well as a great deal of snow. Shaking his body, the snow dispersed around him and he frowned, looking up and down the steps and noting how Souta had even managed to break apart and clear the ice next to him without his ever even noticing. How long had he been out of it? His brow furrowed as he worried for his own sanity, when the hazy yellow illumination of headlights shining on him drew his attention to where Kagome's mother pulled up. The woman got out.

When she came around to help Kagome out, Sesshomaru watched with baited breath as the girl exited the vehicle and finally came into full view, standing before him with a lopsided grin, braced on a pair of sticks. Slowly, she used the two sticks to precariously balance herself as she went towards him. He stepped down the stairs, meeting her on level ground as it was obvious she was lacking the motor capacity to meet him halfway up. "Yuki!" She called out, kneeling down in the snow and throwing her arms around him as the sticks fell to her sides.

"Inside, Kagome, you need to rest!" Her mother admonished, helping the girl up before picking up the sticks and handing them to her daughter with a shake of her head. "Come on, I bet the boys are all starving! You know they never cook when I am not home!" The elder woman said with a laugh before she assisted her daughter up the steps to their home and on up into her room. Once her daughter was situated, she turned to look at the dog that had followed them, giving him a small smile. "Make sure she stays put, Yuki!"

Sesshomaru watched as the woman left, still not enjoying how everyone was calling him Yuki, but he supposed they couldn't be blamed for their ignorance. Kagome's startled cry drew him out of his musings and he turned to look at her as she tried to reach for the brown bag that was innocently sitting on her chair. Letting out a huff, he went over and took it up in his mouth, bringing it to her before she fell and injured herself further. She took it with a grateful smile and a pat on his head. "Thank you very much, Yuki!"

He stared at her with a deadpan glare, wondering when she might get it in her head that he honestly hated her name for him. When she drew out the contents of the bag, his brow furrowed in confusion. All this trouble for some bits of string? Was she seriously insane? Kagome seemed to think it was very important as she held it up. "Look! I bought this for you!" She said with a wide grin. Sesshomaru was now fairly certain the girl was a total lunatic – absolutely crazy. What would a dog do with a bunch of red string?

She laughed and pulled out a pair of needles before she started winding the string around them. "I'm going to knit you a sweater! That way, if you are outside or get lost, you can stay warm." There she went again, going on about how he was going to get lost. Did he give the impression of one who was incapable of finding his way? Resting his head on her bed, he stared up at her with a mixture of boredom, concern, and uncertainty. If she was truly mentally ill, would it be a good idea for him to stay?

As she moved the golden needles about, she wove the red string into a chain and began to speak once more. "I had a weird dream after I hit my head, Yuki. You were in it, too. It was so strange!" Her hands stilled and her expression turned melancholy as she recalled the odd dream. "He was there… looking like he always did, with that silly confident stare of his, dressed in red…" Her eyes widened as she trialed off, looking to the wool in her hands and then to the collar on his neck before giving off a gasp.

"Oh! I did it again!" She said, causing him to wonder what was the problem _now_. Kagome shook her head and gave a sigh before she returned to her task. "Well, it's too late to change it now. Besides, it's not as if I think you're a replacement for him exactly. I just happen to think you look nice in red." Sesshomaru wondered what she might say if he were to point out that while he was actually fond of red she was a terrible liar. He was a replacement for whoever she was constantly thinking of, that was obvious.

She couldn't hear his inner responses, of course, so she continued on in telling him about her dream. It was a rather strange dream, to say the least. It started out with her falling, and as if that wasn't cliché enough a handsome suitor caught her. Even better, she couldn't recall his face, only that he was dressed in mostly red, had yellow eyes and silvery white hair. Sesshomaru let out a heavy sigh of frustration at having to hear the delusions of a young woman. It played out like those dramas he had seen humans watch on the television.

Dream Kagome had been torn between the one who caught her and the one she was constantly lamenting for, who looked oddly a lot like the other guy. Sesshomaru was beginning to suspect they secretly were the same person and the girl truly was insane. However, the dream got even more complicated as she explained how in the end, he – Yuki the dog, somehow and for some unknown reason, swept in and took her away. How this was a better result, or even remotely close to an answer, Sesshomaru was not certain. Luckily, he did not have to answer that.

Kagome's mother returned upstairs, carrying a tray of food for her daughter before looking to Yuki with a warm smile. "There is a treat for you downstairs, please go eat." Sesshomaru didn't have to be told twice, he could think of nothing better than getting out of this room and away from Kagome's strange dreams and even stranger notions. A dog in a sweater… really, who ever thought of such a preposterous thing? When he found his dish full of some chicken as well as duck, he was pleased and content to forget anything else - even familiar looking suitors.

* * *

**Dear readers:** Please note that this story will _not_ continue without prompts. I know the general outline of the story, however, each prompt has taken the story on new and unique routes that I never would have come to on my own. While I appreciate your kind words and praise, please remember that without you, this story cannot continue. Therefore, instead of merely telling me that you wish to see more, be sure to give me a prompt when you do and your wish shall be my command!


	8. Instincts

Prompt: Stringing popcorn and cranberries to hang on the Christmas tree via 1CarinoInu

* * *

**Instincts  
**

After dinner, Kagome's mother took the dishes from her daughter, returning with Souta and a curious Sesshomaru following. They brought with them two full bowls of a strange white puffy substance in one and dried red berries in another. A third empty bowl held thread and needles which the brother dutifully handed to his sister, noting how she was the best at threading the needles. Sitting beside the boy, Sesshomaru watched as one by one, they took a needle and began to string the items in patterns. He wondered what they were for. Why would anyone do this to food?

Perhaps it was for traveling? He could see the uses in stringing up food if one was going a long distance, but Kagome was in no shape for such a journey. She was barely able to hobble over to the bathroom just down the hallway! His defensive instincts kicked in and he stepped around the boy who was consuming more of the white puffy stuff more than he was stringing it, laughing with his sister and mother. Climbing up onto Kagome's bed, he lay across it, mindful of her broken leg and watched them curiously. He wouldn't let her leave.

As if sensing his hesitation about their project, Kagome laughed and held out some of the white puffy substance for him. "It's popcorn, Yuki! It's delicious!" He gave her an expression that implied he did not quite believe her, but for the sake of exploration and to prove that he was not about to be a coward, he leaned down and lapped up the popcorn, tongue running along the inside of her palm as he did so. She didn't seem to notice, but he had to look away from her after that as long dead instincts screamed from within him.

It had been so very long since he had come in contact with a female like this. Worse, she was young and by the scent of her, completely untouched and utterly prepared for motherhood. It was a shame how humans ignored fertile females like her simply for the sake of finding a "perfect match" – as far as he could tell, humans failed in this attempt more often than not. Kagome spoke again, interrupting his musings. "We don't normally do this; it's not traditional for our family as we're Shintoists, but our shrine in participating in a community culture expansion project."

She continued to explain and he watched as her tiny hands continued to string the two foods, three berries, and five popcorns, on and on. "The shrinekeepers have noticed a decline in visitors, mostly because of religions, like Christianity. Many people are turning away from the rich history of Shinto, so we are trying to promote an understanding that the lifestyles, other religions and Shinto, can co-exist. We are preparing these chains to decorate a Christmas tree. It'll be the first one we've ever had at the shrine, isn't that exciting, Yuki!" She laughed, only to stop with a yelp.

Instinct took over and Sesshomaru dove forward, licking at the abused spot on her left thumb. His eyes closed as he cleaned the spot thoroughly, savoring the taste of her blood as the small droplets fell on his tongue. When her mother gave a startled sound and shoved him off, unable to react and he fell into a heap on the ground. Both her mother and Kagome were shocked to find that her wound had completely healed. Her mother shook her head, startled at how such a thing could be, but Kagome looked to him with new eyes. She knew.

What she knew, Sesshomaru wasn't exactly sure of. Part of him wondered if she had experience with youkai and therefore knew of the healing powers of some youkai. The very idea was laughable. Youkai were not a part of human society. They lived in isolated communities, away from humans under the protection of the human governments with the understanding that they would not interact with humans. He, of course, fell outside of this bargain as he was considered no more than a pest to both humans and youkai. Still, the way Kagome stared at him caused him to uncomfortably fidget.

Her mother drew her attention and for not the last time, Sesshomaru was grateful for the elder woman's uncanny insight into situations. She had noticed how her daughter's behavior was unsettling him and turned the girl's mind back to the task at hand. They continued in moderate silence, however, only Souta speaking up once in a while. Kagome said nothing, going about her job slowly this time, and glancing up at her dog every few moments, as if to assure he was still there. Sesshomaru watched her out of his peripheral vision, noting how she worried on her lower lip.

Thankfully, Kagome said nothing of it that evening. Once the strings were completed and wrapped within the once empty bowl, Souta and her mother left. Her mother returned a few minutes later, only to say goodnight and turn out the light, plunging them into darkness. He sat there, at the end of her bed, staring at her. She stared back, swallowing hard as she shook her head and let out a heavy sigh. "You're delusional, Kagome!" She whispered to herself before settling down to sleep. Inwardly, Sesshomaru frowned at this. What was wrong with her… and why did he care?

That night, Sesshomaru sat watching as Kagome slept restlessly, tossing and turning as her dreams were apparently either not that pleasant or as much the same as the one she had before. Staring out the window at the moonlit scenery, his brow furrowed as he noted the massive tree sitting nearby. It held some sort of familiar significance to it, but he wasn't sure what exactly that was. As if the thought was sitting there at the edge of his mind and he could not grasp it. With a huff, he noted the female had managed to twist the blankets.

Staring down at her partially bare stomach, he shook his head at the strange sensation the sight brought to him. It had been a while since he had considered a female. For so long he had lived as a dog, nothing more than a beast in the eyes of both youkai and humans alike. Even then, he had not found the solution to his curse. He had tried so many times, early on, out of spite for Rin's inability to save him, out of the desperate need to be free, but never out of desire for any of them. Never.

He soon came to the understanding that the females he found must have all been defective in some way. They must have been broken, incomplete, or using him in some way or another. With the youkai females, they knew who he was and therefore were probably trying to gain prestige and possibly a stake in his powerful lands. With human females, they looked upon him as nothing more than a pet. Both types used him until he wore out his welcome and disposed of him as if he was nothing more than a dirty and worn out garment. No love.


	9. The Eraser

Prompt: reappearance of Kagome's yellow bag via a guest (hello, dear guest!)

* * *

**The Eraser  
**

After carefully pulling the blankets over the girl, he paced the room for a short while, going in circles in the darkness as he tried to find his place. While he was not exactly a dog, he still had the same instincts that many dogs had. He didn't want to be out of order within his pack, even if he suspected that the pack he incorporated himself into might be rid of him at a moment's notice. It might be foolish, but part of him _wanted_ to be part of this highly unusual pack. It had been so very long.

Normally, he would be the alpha, the one to lead and guide. However, in his current state he could not honestly admit to himself that he deserved to be alpha. The idea of that irritated him to no end. Thinking over the Higurashi family, he contemplated who might be the alpha. It was certainly not either of the males, the grandfather was not dominant enough and the boy was too young, so that left the mother and the daughter. While the mother displayed some dominant traits, she was not as commanding as a true alpha. That left Kagome… was she?

Staring down at the young woman, he let out a huff through his nose as he noted the tears streaming down her face. She had once again pulled the blankets about herself in such a way that they did not properly cover her anymore. Going to tug the blankets back into place, he paused, staring at an object he had not noticed earlier. It sat so innocently there at the end of her bed, resting against the wall, that anyone might have overlooked it. Yet, like many things he had found as of late, it was rather familiar. Realization hit.

Dropping the blanket he went over to sniff at the yellow backpack, noting how it was completely covered in Kagome's scent and also held traces of InuYasha's. Looking up at the young woman resting on the bed his mind finally pulled the pieces together as a mixture of amusement at life's irony and horror crossed his expression. She was the miko. The Shikon miko, the one who had traveled with his brother and followed him like a lovesick puppy until that day when he told her of his love for Rin. He had assumed she was dead. This couldn't be.

How was this possible? How could she be here, now, several hundred years in the future? (Not that he knew exactly how long it had been, he hadn't exactly been keeping track of the time.) Worse, the understanding that he was replacing his half-brother fell upon him. Sesshomaru, was InuYasha's stand-in. When she tugged the blankets once more, that dreaded name falling from her lips in dreams, he had all the confirmation he needed. Angrily, he pulled the blanket back over her body and climbed up to lay on it. The miko would learn to forget, he would assure it.

It wasn't that he cared about her broken heart, but that he could not stand by and watch as her loyalty was wasted on such a worthless creature. Sesshomaru would stay, for as long as it took, to remove InuYasha's long dead clutches from the fragile young woman's heart. Only then would he leave. Even if they threw him out onto the streets, he would stay beside Kagome and assure that someday she would not look at him and see the hanyou. It was only right that he clean up the long suffering stain that was his father's final mistake.


	10. The Savior and the Saved

Prompt: A good old memory of Sesshomaru via sakemori

* * *

**The Savior and the Saved  
**

Kagome woke the next morning with a smile on her face. Looking to him, her expression widened. "I had the best dream last night, Yuki!" He gave her an incredulous expression before stepping off the bed now that she was no longer at risk of exposing herself. Sesshomaru highly doubted the dream was all that wonderful. If her tears and cries through the night were any indication, the dream had been downright awful. What was so great about being left behind by the one you loved and trusted the most? She stretched and sat up, a giggle escaping her. Curious.

"I'm such an idiot." She declared, and he looked to her in agreement. Kagome rested her head against the wall behind her bed and let out a heavy sigh. "I usually have bad dreams. Memories of bad times, of events I'd rather forget. Last night, though, I had a lovely dream. Instead of worrying, instead of being afraid, I wasn't alone anymore!" She said brightly, reaching over to pet him on the head and turning his gaze to her once more. "You were there!" Sesshomaru inwardly cringed. She was becoming attached to him without any realization of who he was.

Her expression took a turn as her brow furrowed and she worried her lip once more, a habit that was far too distracting to him but one he was unable to stop. She let out a slow breath, reaching up to run a hand through her hair. "It was strange, though, Yuki. You were there, you did take me away from the bad memories, but then for some reason _he_ showed up. He always shows up in my dreams at strange times. Mama says I probably had a crush on him." Her face flushed and her eyes widened. "That's impossible!"

A wistful smile fell upon her face as she looked at the large tree outside her window, seemingly looking at another time. "Still, he _was_ a good guy. I don't care what anyone else said!" Sesshomaru rested his head on her bed and she absently ran her fingertips along the top, eliciting a pleasant feeling from within him. He closed his eyes in content, listening to her babble on. "Sango hated him so much! She wasn't very happy to make friends with a youkai, especially not a powerful one like him. I can't really blame her, it was her nature."

She let out a happy sigh. "Still, it was his nature, too. You can't begrudge someone just because they behave in a way that is entirely normal for their species or upbringing. I know he was a good guy. He just _had_ to be! He wouldn't have saved me otherwise! Besides, he was so good to Rin…" Her voice trailed off at the mention of his ward, the name eliciting painful memories. His eyes snapped open as he realized that she had been thinking of him. Not Yuki the dog… but _him_. Had he saved her before? He couldn't remember.


	11. Oh, Ye of Little Faith

Prompt: O, Come All Ye Faithful via WiccanMethuselah

* * *

**Oh, Ye of Little Faith  
**

That afternoon, sitting at his usual place by Kagome's side, Sesshomaru watched the snow fall on the large tree outside while she rested, knitting the unusual shaped sweater that she was making for him. He still didn't think any sensible person would put a sweater on a dog, but then this girl was not sensible. This was the same girl who had pranced about in a short skirt and a tiny shirt that barely left anything to the imagination; the same girl who rode on the backs of youkai and trusted in her companions to save her, regardless of danger.

She was an idiot. Part of him reconsidered his self given duty of making her forget InuYasha. A girl who showed such faith, even when she had perfectly good reasons not to, seemed to have a death wish to him. Her hand patting at his head drew his attention to her and she gave a happy smile with a hum before continuing with her project in silence. Stepping nearer to her, for some reason he couldn't quite explain, he rested his head on her leg, looking up at her curiously. He would need to break her of her bad habits.

He couldn't exactly call it good if he merely made her forget InuYasha. For her benefit, he would be generous enough to make it where she never put her faith so blindly in something that could do nothing for her. InuYasha had been a poor choice for her to set her trust in, so he would have to teach her how to pick from better options. Perhaps, if he found a more reliable male for her? He had not seen any males around her, other than her family. How was she to choose from reasonable options if she had none?

Pausing, his heart skipped a beat as he realized that he was genuinely concerned with what might happen to the clumsy female if and when he left her. Eyes widening, he scoffed and stood, pulling away from the girl, running down the stairs to paw at the front door. His breathing was heavy and labored as he felt his throat constricting, heart racing as the realization that he had thought, without much consideration, _if_. When her mother opened the door, he raced out into the snow, running around the house a few times, trying to clear his mind. Traitorous thoughts.

Throwing himself into a large drift of the cold white precipitation, burying himself within, he tried to cool his head. The delusional girl was beginning to affect him! He had to keep it together! Getting attached to her any more than he already was could be dangerous! Possibly deadly. His thoughts ran about in circular patterns, always coming back to the same point – a point that had twinkling blue eyes and dark ebony hair. A low growl emitted from him and for a fleeting moment he considered running, just leaving it all behind. It was all too confusing for him.

Yet, when Kagome's pleading calls rang out, her voice laced with fear, his heart leapt within his chest and a painful stab raced through his mind. Hesitantly, he dug himself out of the snow and went about the house, looking around the corner at her carefully. She was not appropriately dressed for the weather, standing in her light blue flannel pajamas, braced against a single one of those sticks – crutches, they had called them – eyes filled with tears as she cried out the name she had given him with such desperation. Unable to deny the need, he went to her.

When her eyes met with his, the tears fell down her face in streams before she threw herself down, awkwardly considering her cast. As her arms went about him, he noted the look of absolute terror mixed with adoration in her watery gaze and in that moment, some of the frozen parts of his soul began to crack. No matter how confusing it was, no matter how attached he might become, no matter how painful it might be in the end… he would not be able to leave her behind. He understood her painful suffering far better than anyone else.


	12. Wonderful Days

Prompt: Bring on the Wonder by Susan Enan via kayelyn

* * *

**Wonderful Days  
**

Days with Kagome were days filled with the never ending reminders of memories he had long spent time burying. Like a powerful necromancer, she was able to revive even the most minor of painful pasts. In every one of her laughs, every one of her embraces, the playful moments of teasing each other in a game she called tug-of-war (which he always won, of course, but always lost…), in all of these little moments that made their days together in the warm confines of her room, he could remember. Rin, not the woman he loathed, but the child he loved.

In each breath, in all the little chains and loops of the red wool Kagome wove together, in the cold of the snow that seeped through his paws when he would go out for a stretch during her mid-day meals… he recalled the child who once held his heart in her tiny palms. At first, it was painful and he tried to fight it, tried to deny that he could still possibly care for the one who had betrayed him so easily. However, now, some days later, he came to the sad understanding that he had always loved her. Always.

It was the love that brought the pain, not the lack thereof. Still, just because he was remembering her with less anger did not mean he was able to forgive her. It had been her fault that he was trapped as such. If she had been stronger, if she had loved him as much as he had loved her, none of this would have happened. "Yuki?" Kagome's voice broke through his frustrations, shattering it like glass and sending the pieces glittering down around his heart. Looking at her, his eyes widened when a snowball hit him. Kagome laughed and ran.

Well, as best as one could run when one leg was still bound rather heavily in plaster. Giving her ample time to flee, he followed her, eyes narrowing when she slipped out of her own clumsiness and toppled over into the snow with a screech and a laugh. Standing over her, he watched as she looked up at him through her partially closed eyes, her laughter echoing in the clearing. Tears welled in her eyes, running along her cheeks and glistening in the sunlight. Worried, Sesshomaru leaned in and lapped them up, tracing long licks up her face. She gasped.

Her entire body froze beneath him, eyes widening in shock as she stared at him. He stilled, lifting his head to look down on her. She was right, that sort of behavior was somewhat a breech in their unspoken boundaries. Yet, he couldn't help himself but to try to comfort her, despite his better judgment. It had been an impulse, not a thought out action. Would she yell and be angry with him? Her expression melted into one of content and she reached up to ruffle the fur at the base of his neck playfully. "You're so good to me!"

At that, she began to try to sit up and he stepped back to give her space, eyes wide at her admission. He was good to her? All he had done was allow his body to behave in ways that he couldn't control. If he had been stronger, if he had more willpower, he never would have licked her face. What was so good about it anyway? He wondered if perhaps she was just capable of making anything good. He frowned lightly. This girl had far too many problems that required fixing just to assure her survival. What a nuisance!


	13. Friends, Revisited

Prompt: a reincarnated reappearance of Sango, Miroku, or Shippo via sakemori

* * *

**Friends, Revisited  
**

"Kagome! You have a phone call!" Her mother called from the doorway, watching in amusement as her daughter attempted to stand. Sesshomaru went over to her lifting up her crutch and holding it awkwardly in his mouth for her. The girl took it with a grin before using it to help push herself upright, taking the other crutch from the dog before giving him a pat on the head and proceeding to go indoors. He followed her, listening to one half of her conversation as she spoke to her friends from the night before. He wondered if they would visit.

Humans, much like dogs, were social creatures. He didn't think it was right how Kagome interacted so little with other humans outside of her family. Souta often went to play with other kids, went for study sessions, and even had occasional dates with a young girl from his school. The mother of the house frequented a bridge club where she would go once a week to play cards and gossip with her friends, occasionally they would play at the shrine. Even the old man had companions to spend his time with, frequently having meetings with other shrine keepers. Not Kagome!

She had no one… other than himself, who didn't exactly qualify in this form or any other he might possess. He was not human; he could not give her that satisfaction that came from spending time with others of your own kind. He wasn't exactly social as it was. His mother had often commented, along with a disapproving sound at his unusual solitary ways. She would frequently remind him that it wasn't healthy for a good strong inu like himself to remain by themselves. As a child, many had turned away from him due to his quiet and reticent nature.

Some of the children who attended the same tutoring lessons as him even went so far as to boldly tease him. They called him a runt, a derogatory term that made fun of his slender form as well as his distant manners. If he had to be totally honest with himself, which he rarely was (although he still tried to convince himself that he always was), he had been so hateful towards InuYasha because finally, for once, someone else was beneath him in the hierarchy. He could turn those terrible taunts around and be the torturer instead of the tortured.

It would take him years to overcome that, to become so powerful that no others could laugh at him and call him names without death soon following. He was still somewhat small, not nearly as large as his father, barely any bigger than his mother… and now, permanently trapped in this minute form compared to any inu youkai. All that work, lost for the sake of saving a human child. Once again, he had become the laughing stock of youkai society. He had gone from Sesshomaru the powerful and terrible… to Sesshomaru the runt, all in full circle - such indignity.

Kagome's voice broke into his thoughts once more as she happily turned to him with a smile. "My friends are going to visit! Don't worry, Ayumi took some medication so she can be around you today!" Looking to her mother, her expression practically glowed with the excitement of having guests once more. Sesshomaru listened as she requested snacks for them and wondered if they could take over the television for a while to play games. The happy lilt in her voice betrayed her joy at having her friends come by and Sesshomaru knew this was how it should be. Still…

A strange and unusual sensation filled him as he watched her hobble around the living room, preparing for her guests arrival. What was this feeling? He wasn't sure if he had ever felt this about another person. Objects, yes. He had felt this way before about a very specific object, in fact. His father's fang, the magnificent blade Tetsusaiga – a weapon he had wanted for himself. Jealousy, that was what this emotion was. Yet, why would he be jealous that she was spending time with a few humans? The very notion was ludicrous. Regardless, he could not stop the feeling.

When her mother offered him a meal, he gladly took the distraction, noting that she had sautéed some vegetables – thinly sliced carrots, spinach, and bits of celery – all mixed together in a fluffy yellow egg concoction. Tasting it, he was surprised to find it rather delicious, focusing on that instead of the strange sensation that lingered in the back of his mind. By the time he was finished savoring his meal, the humans had arrived and were seated about the kotatsu. In addition to Kagome, there were the three girls from the other day and a male. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed.

Stepping over with a determined expression, he squeezed in between Kagome and the male, forcing the male to move before leveling the nervous looking boy with a glare. When Kagome laughed and scratched at the base of his neck, his insides twisted and he had to fight down the sickening realization that he had just exerted dominance over another male for a human girl. What was wrong with him? He was supposed to be trying to find a suitable male for her, not impose himself and make it impossible for her to move on from InuYasha! He proceeded to smell.

What he smelled was surprising and added to the confusion of what he had experienced since coming into Kagome's presence. Now familiar with her past, he was able to place the somewhat familiar scents of those around him. Kagome would never look at them in this way, as she did not understand that reincarnations held the same base smell as their previous forms. Yet, he was absolutely certain that she had somehow found her way to her old companions, without even realizing it. One, however, was not exactly a reincarnation, and his eyes narrowed before looking to the girl curiously.

Ayumi fidgeted and let out a small broken laugh, reaching up to rub at the back of her head. "Excuse me, I need to go to bathroom." She said, standing and making a hasty retreat upstairs. The others paid it no mind, continuing on with their discussions about jobs, their lack of love lives, and educational pursuits. Sesshomaru looked to each of them individually, pulling out their fragrances and separating them within his mind. The girl Kagome called Eri was the easiest to guess of all of them. Even he had known her - the elderly miko who had watched Rin.

The other female, the one called Yuka, held the scent of the slayer that had traveled with InuYasha and Kagome. Even now, in her reincarnated state, her strong presence was hard to deny. Looking to the boy, he frowned slightly, only to relax when his scent pulled at a memory of a young monk, once cursed by Naraku. He would not be any threat. With those discoveries out of the way, he left Kagome with her friends, going up the steps to follow Ayumi's scent. When the door to the bathroom opened, he raised a brow but entered. Ayumi growled.

"What are _you_ doing here?!" She hissed through clenched teeth. Sesshomaru merely stared at her with a deadpan gaze before giving a noncommittal shrug. He did not need to explain himself to this one or anyone else, for that matter. Only his mother could order him at this point. An amused smirk trailed on Sesshomaru's face and he sat back tilting his head in wonder at the girl before him. While she certainly appeared to be human, she most definitely was not. How had Kagome missed this her entire life? It was an amazing illusion if it could trick her.

"Give up your illusions, kitsune. This Sesshomaru knows who you are." He growled out, knowing the kit could understand him. With a frustrated huff and a puff of smoke, Shippo stood before him, crossing his arms and letting out an annoyed sound. Sesshomaru frowned. "Why are you insisting on this trickery? The girl would be happy to know that you still exist, would she not? There is no need for lies." His tone was mocking, teasing even, as he continued to look at the irritated kitsune that had once known Kagome as a mother. He knew the truth, of course.

Shippo rolled his eyes. "Come on! You know as well as I do that if she were to find out who I really am she would lose it! She's not exactly stable right now; do you really think she could take knowing that one of her childhood friends was her son? Besides…" He dropped off with a grin before crossing his arms and looking to Sesshomaru with an evil glint in his eyes. "We all know why I am here. The real question is why are _you _here?" Sesshomaru huffed and looked away, not deeming that question worth a response.


	14. Peaceful Nights

Prompt: Silent Night via 1CarinoInu

* * *

**Peaceful Nights  
**

Sesshomaru tried not to get riled up when the day grew long and slowly slipped into night. That was proving to be difficult, however, as the earlier jealousy was beginning to grow. Worse, he couldn't do anything about it as the kitsune continued to watch him warily. Whenever Sesshomaru might get too close to Kagome, Ayumi would have some sort of mishap. A bowl of popcorn knocked over, a drink spilled, even going so far as to fall on Kagome, thereby preventing Sesshomaru from resting his head on her lap when they settled down to watch a movie. Sesshomaru growled.

Kagome's eyes widened and she gasped, tapping him on the end of his snout lightly. It wasn't painful, but it got his attention and she shook her head, waggling her finger at him. "Yuki! Be nice to Ayumi! She even went through the trouble of taking medicine just to be here because of you!" Sesshomaru stared at her blandly, not appreciating how she thought to order him around. Unfortunately, in this situation, with him in his current state… she was alpha. That didn't mean he had to like her directions. With a sniff of disdain, he turned away and left.

Going upstairs, he stood in her empty bedroom, eyes narrowed in annoyance at the kitsune who was surely laughing at him now. Looking around, he gave a smirk and went over to Kagome's bed, stepping up on it before flopping down onto it and rolling about on the cover. After several moments of this, he let out a huff and stared at the door, listening to their laughs and chatter echoing up through the hall. They sure were having a grand time, weren't they? Nose twitching in dismay, he turned and looked out the window defiantly. He didn't need them.

Resting his head on his large paws, he stared out at the snowfall, watching the tree outside become buried. Part of him wished that his idiot half-brother was still staked to it. That would be amusing. It had been fun to occasionally return during InuYasha's fifty year slumber and catch sight of a bird putting up a nest on his shoulder, or the leaves crumbled around the hanyou's face. Now, it was just an old tree, possibly as old as he – one of the few things that could remember a time long ago when he was not weak and cursed.

His eyes drooped and eventually he fell into slumber. Oddly, he found himself within a dream. (Kagome must be influencing him.) The dream was hazy and full of memories of lost chances. Never being able to stand up for himself as a child, not knowing that it was okay to be different, unable to say goodbye to his father – instead stating painful words that would linger – and thus watching as his father perished, transferring the hate from his life to his newborn sibling, only for that sibling to obtain the fang of their father… a fang he associated with approval.

There were so many awful memories. Sesshomaru was running through the thick fog of the dream, attempting to escape the past, to ignore the pain. He had done so well up to this point. Yet, no matter how hard he ran, he couldn't get away from them; the specters of the past continued to haunt him and nipped at his heels dangerously. When an awful laugh rang out from behind him, he dared to turn to look, eyes widening when he saw InuYasha in his demon form lunging for him. He tried not to get cut down, heart pounding. Afraid.

He would never admit it to another, but InuYasha's demon form always terrified him. The pure, unhindered blood of their father reigned in the hanyou when he lost control and his humanity waned. While Sesshomaru always made it out that he was the more powerful one, he knew deep inside that was a lie. Unlike the hanyou, Sesshomaru could never break free of the blood of his mother. Her power was as essential to him as his father's. He was of both. His mother was not weak by any means, but she did not have raw power like his father.

When InuYasha had first lost control of his youki, power bursting out from the small form of the boy, Sesshomaru was angry. How dare he rise above him? Could he not know his place? Giving a yelp of surprise and pain, he felt the wind rush out of his lungs as the hanyou shoved against him, scratching deep welts along Sesshomaru's side. Flying off, Sesshomaru landed in a puff of snow, tossing the white powder up and about. "Are you okay?" A familiar voice asked. His heart skipped a beat for a moment, hoping foolishly that it was Kagome. Hope.

Those hopes were dashed when he opened his eyes to see Rin. However, it was not him that she looked to, but InuYasha. Backing up, Sesshomaru felt the darkness coming before he saw it rushing like a wave to swallow him up. Gasping, his eyes snapped open and he noticed that he was finally awake, the dream now over. It was very late now, yet he was still atop Kagome's bed. With a frown, he stood and looked around, noting that she was not in her room. He went down the stairs, only to see her asleep beneath the kotatsu.

She slept peacefully, Ayumi curled up within her grasp, Yuka and Eri to either side of them – the boy, Hojo, long gone. Sesshomaru let out a slow sigh before going over to stand beside the young woman that had broken into his life. She had stirred up his emotions, drug out old pains, and here he was hoping to help her. With a frown, his body settled into a more comfortable position, ears alert for any potential dangers. Yet, there were none. Despite the terrors of his dreams – or perhaps, an echo of them… wherever Kagome was, peace always reigned.


	15. Melancholy Memories

Prompt: a sad, yet happy memory of a Christmas spent with the whole group via sakemori

* * *

**Melancholy Memories  
**

The next day, after saying goodbye to her friends, Kagome was seated within her bedroom and once again working on the strange sweater she was knitting for him. It was probably a good thing he couldn't talk to her, as he would not be able to keep himself from pointing out how the sweater looked more like an odd tube. He dreaded the day she might try to make him wear it. Her musings drew him out of his thoughts and he looked to her. "Can you believe them? They're still trying to set me up with him! It's crazy!"

He wasn't sure what exactly she meant, but he presumed they were talking about the girls. (Inwardly he chuckled at the idea of Shippo being "one of the girls".) Kagome didn't notice his amusement, letting out an annoyed huff and staring down at the red item in her hands. "They tried this last Christmas time, too." She looked to him, as if he could not only understand her (which he could, but she wasn't supposed to know that) but also could solve her problems for her. "I don't get why they can't understand that I don't like Hojo that way!"

She let out a sigh, turning to look out the window and watch the snow as is continued to fall. "It's not as if I don't have a good time with him. He's fun enough to be around, but I don't feel that sort of connection with him. It was a nice Christmas, even if it was a little awkward." A faint smile crossed her face and she laughed lightly, reaching up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind an ear. "They went all out, buying a cake with little snowmen and strawberries – it must have been so expensive!"

"We ate it in a karaoke booth that we all shared together, singing songs among our classmates. In the end, we exchanged gifts – or, at least some of us did." Her face flushed lightly and she looked over at him, eyes twinkling. "They neglected to tell me that I was supposed to bring a gift. Oh! Poor Hojo, he was left out, too! It was all part of their plan! They declared that whoever hadn't brought a gift had to spend the evening together, and then everyone left us and went to go watch fireworks. It was so very embarrassing!"

Sesshomaru let out a sound that showed he really didn't see what the big deal was, resting his head on the bed next to her and looking up at her with a bored expression. Kagome laughed lightly and scratched him behind the ears, causing his eyes to droop close with pleasure. "It was really sad, though." Her words came out soft and gentle, practically a whisper. "That was the night I had to tell Hojo that I wasn't interested. He said he was alright, but I could tell it hurt him. I didn't mean to. I just loved someone else."

With a sigh, she fell forward on the bed, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face into his neck. Just when he thought she was finished being melodramatic, she asked him a question that pierced through his heart. "Have you ever felt that way, Yuki?" The words echoed in his mind, long after her breathing became rhythmic with sleep, and he remained there, allowing her to use him as a pillow as she took comfort in his presence, contemplating her words. Had he ever felt that way? Of course he had never felt that way before. He couldn't.


	16. Bringing Home Strays

Prompt: the memory of when she [Kagome] accepted Shippo as her adopted son from the feudal era via sakemori**  
**

* * *

**Bringing Home Strays  
**

It had now been a week since Sesshomaru had come to live with the Higurashi's. They were not that bad, for humans, and treated him well. Unfortunately, he wasn't making any progress and was beginning to get comfortable. A heated space, a comfortable place to rest his head, fresh game that he didn't have to catch himself… what more could he ask for… well, other than being free of his curse and finally murdering every single person who had ever done him wrong in this form. That would be wonderful, he thought with a lazy stretch. He was becoming attached.

With a sigh, he looked over to see Kagome still knitting away at the odd and now lumpy looking tube that she called a sweater. If she ever did get that on him, he would never live it down. Especially not after she learned who he was… that thought caused him to pause and frown. Too attached. Whatever reason would he have for reintroducing himself? She didn't need to know who he was. They did not even need to remain in contact after he freed himself. Somehow he ignored the fact that he was beginning to have hope once more.

A light knock at the door and a small sniff, caused Sesshomaru to roll his eyes and let out an annoyed sound. Shippo had come by every day since the sleepover, under the premise of bringing Kagome gifts and keeping her company during her recovery. A smirk came over his face as the girl entered and he looked over to her pointedly, knowing Kagome's attention was on her friend, climbing up into the bed and laying across it before the young woman. Shippo's gaze narrowed and he nearly growled, catching himself and faking a cough before looking apologetically to Kagome.

"Sorry, I guess the medicine isn't working as well as it should be!" Kagome looked sorry and immediately, Shippo's expression truly shifted to a full apology before rushing over and kneeling beside the bedridden girl. Holding up a red plastic container, a grin spread across her face. "I brought your favorite treats! Don't make sad faces like that! It isn't your fault that I am allergic to dogs!" Shippo squeaked. Kagome looked to her friend with a small smile, before taking the container and opening it. Her eyes widened and Sesshomaru watched as the miko proceeded to stuff her mouth.

"Fudge!" Kagome managed around the chocolate confections, tears welling in her eyes. "Thank you, Ayumi! You always know what I like best!" She said with a happy hum before gesturing for her friend to sit. Sesshomaru sat there, feigning boredom but also interested in what had been brought. Leaning forward, he went to sniff at the box, only for Kagome to pull it away and shake her head. "Yuki, no! Dog's can't have chocolate!" Sesshomaru wanted to yell at her, tell her that she couldn't command him, but he was left with nothing to do but sit back and obey.

Shippo was amused and apparently decided to rub salt in Sesshomaru's wounds by bringing up Kagome's past. "Kagome, why can't you go on another date with Hojo? Are you still hung up about that old boyfriend of yours?" It was said innocently enough, but the way Kagome nearly choked on her fudge before breaking down into tears was likely not the intended response. "Kagome! Are you alright!" Shippo called, genuinely worried. Sesshomaru growled defensively, keeping the kit from getting any closer. It was Shippo's fault that Kagome was hurt, Sesshomaru wasn't about to let the kit touch her after that.

When Kagome's mother heard the growling and yelling, she entered and expressed her dismay, sending Ayumi home before taking the fudge and returning with a drink for her daughter. After Kagome had calmed down somewhat, her mother rubbed her back in soothing circles as the girl sobbed into the woman's chest. "There, there, it's alright. It's all over now. He can't hurt you anymore, honey. If he couldn't see how wonderful you were, if he couldn't understand all that you gave up to be with him, then he didn't deserve you in the first place. You'll find someone deserving soon."

Kagome let out a heavier sob, shaking her head. "It's not InuYasha! I feel so guilty for leaving everyone else, mama!" Her mother gave her a worried look, reaching into her apron pocket for a handkerchief and wiping at Kagome's snotty face. The distraught girl continued her lamenting. "Shippo! I left him behind! He… mama… I _adopted_ him! How is that right that I left him behind when he saw me as a mother? I should have stayed, or I should have never made such a promise to him from the beginning! I'm such a horrible person, mama!" She cried.

Sesshomaru frowned, licking at Kagome's hand as it dangled over her mother's shoulder. The girl stiffened and pulled back looking at him, before her tears increased in number. "Oh, Yuki! I did the same to you, didn't I?" Looking to her mother, her expression one of such sadness the like of which Sesshomaru had never seen before. Even he felt as if he might fall into an endless abyss of emptiness at any moment, just by watching Kagome in her grief. "Mama, I'm so terrible. I make quick and simple promises, without ever thinking through the consequences!" The girl continued.

"The day I took Shippo in, it wasn't much different from when I brought Yuki home. All I was thinking about was myself! With Shippo, I didn't want to feel responsible for a little kid, even though he was more capable than many adults in our time. Just the idea of leaving him behind made me feel like I was a bad person. With Yuki, I just wanted someone who would love me unconditionally, to fill my heart and help bandage the painful gaps that had been left behind. It's not fair! Why do I always do this?" She sniffed.


	17. Wish I May, Wish I Might

Prompt: Shooting Star via missartemis88

* * *

**Wish I May, Wish I Might  
**

Kagome had fallen asleep amidst her tears, her sobs draining her of any energy she might have. Her mother carefully tucked her in, prying the golden needles from her limp hands and setting aside the project before looking to him with a sad smile. "Don't take her words to heart. If she really thinks that you came to her like Shippo, that only means she cares more about you than even she realizes." With that, she pat him on the head before shutting off the light, leaving the door open slightly before padding down the hall with a wary sigh.

Sesshomaru stared at the sliver of yellow light that cut through the darkness of the room for a few moments, thinking through what both women had said. Kagome shifted, giving a small cry, and his head shot up to look at her, frowning before going over to her. Closing his eyes, he tried to stomp down the desire to comfort her. Why did it matter if she had upset dreams? Why did it matter if she was lonely and broken? He only wanted to help her to get back at InuYasha, not because he cared! He didn't care, did he?

Minutes tumbled into hours as he stood in the darkness, the other residents of the home falling into slumber. Eventually, the hour was very late, sometime just before twilight, and he had yet to have an answer to his question. Instead, he sat there, watching the gentle rise and fall of the miko's chest, the way her lashes lightly rested upon her cheeks, the way her lips slightly parted with every exhalation. Sesshomaru shook his head fervently, trying to pull himself from the trap he knew he was falling into. Like quicksand, the more he struggled, the deeper he sank.

When he focused back on her, she was staring at him, those hauntingly familiar eyes piercing through him as if she knew who he was. The room was pitch black, save for the minute amount of light coming from the hallway, so she likely wasn't looking at _him_, but still partially dreaming. Licking her lips, she blinked languidly, brow furrowing in confusion before uttering the last thing he had expected to hear from her. "Sesshomaru?" His eyes widened and he took a step back, fear stabbing through his heart. What was he afraid of, exactly? She could not harm him!

Her eyes closed for a few moments and he relaxed, letting out a slow breath only to jump when she gasped and sat up suddenly, crying out. "No!" Kagome stilled, looking around the room in fright before her eyes fell upon him and she let out a relieved breath, hand clutching at her chest. "Yuki… thank goodness. I had the strangest dream." She shifted in her blankets, a frown furrowing her brow as she tried to recall the dream. "I was here, in the dark, and I saw golden eyes. I thought it was InuYasha, but it couldn't be him."

She worried her lip, looking at him warily and going silent, as if she was beginning to realize that it hadn't been a dream. She had been partially aware of him; she even went so far as to guess just who was watching her. Letting out a nervous laugh, Kagome looked out the window, only for her eyes to widen as she gasped in wonder. She shifted, tossing the blanket aside as she sat up and knelt, palms pressing against the cold glass. The next thing he knew, she was hobbling over to her closet, throwing it open with determination.

Sesshomaru watched her, confused and a bit concerned as she pulled on the light in her closet and began to drag out heavy winter clothes. When she started to tug them on over her clothing, nearly falling over several times, he let out a slow sigh, wondering what had gotten into her. Had she suddenly gone mad? Perhaps now that she realized who he was, she was going to get rid of him? That would ruin his plans to get her over InuYasha so that mutt could finally disappear from the face of the planet once and for all. Damn.

When she pulled a large blanket out of her closet and turned towards him, giving a tight smile before her gaze spanned the room and finally landed on the abused yellow backpack at the end of her bed. Letting out a slow breath, she went over and bent clumsily, reaching down and hefting it up and over her shoulder. Sesshomaru watched as she did this, the way her emotions raced across her face, going from dread, to resignation, and finally, to an odd sort of contentment. Patting him on the head, she left, slowly stepping down the stairs, carefully.

He followed her, unsure if it was safe to let her go about on her own. Her leg was still quite broken, from what he knew it would take several weeks for it to heal. When she opened the front door, he growled lightly, warning her not to go out. She turned to him, shushing him and shaking her head. "Quiet, Yuki! It's okay! Look, I'll leave the door open some, so you can come in and get mama if something happens!" She offered through tight whispers, not wanting to wake her mother as she knew the woman would disapprove.

Sesshomaru warily consented by relaxing, continuing to follow her out into the cold, blustery night. Wind blew in hard, sporadic gusts, snow flew about, but it was a clear, moonless night. Just the sort of night Sesshomaru hated. Kagome, however, was not there for the moon or lack thereof. Instead, she giggled with glee as she stomped through the snow, stopping every once in a while to guard her face when another gust of wind barreled into them. When she reached her destination, which seemed like no destination at all, she opened the blanket and threw it across the snow.

She sat on the blanket in the middle of the snow covered grass. When she gestured for him to come, he did, unsure what she had planned, but afraid to leave her. It was dark, it was windy, it was cold, and she was broken… she was prey. Was she a total idiot, or just a partial one? As if she heard his thoughts, she giggled a little, hugging him before reaching up to point at the skies. When he looked up, his breath caught at the sight of a pair of falling stars. "Make a wish, Yuki." He did.

* * *

**Dear Readers:** Don't forget to bundle up when watching the Geminid meteor shower this December 13th(through the night!)! Astronomy is a cold but humbling experience, I highly recommend it!


	18. Play Ball

Prompt: whimsy & irresistible forces via missartemis88

* * *

**Play Ball  
**

They slept in that next morning, having stayed up until the sun rose, watching the wonders of astronomy and making hundreds of silent wishes. When Sesshomaru woke he rose only to realize he had actually slept on Kagome's bed with her. Shaking his head, he lightly stepped off before stretching and giving a sigh. Something was surely wrong with him. Why was he becoming so attached to this human girl? Of all humans, why did it have to be her? He decided it was best to ignore her as well as he could until he had distanced himself once more.

After breakfast he requested to be let out, standing by the door until Souta opened the door. The boy called out for him to follow and, on a whim, Sesshomaru did. When the boy produced a ball from a shed in the rear of the house and held it out, proposing that he play a game called "fetch", Sesshomaru stared at him with a deadpan look that clearly conveyed his disinterest. Ready to turn away and leave the child to his nonsensical games, he stilled when the boy's voice broke. "It's the only thing I have left… from him. Dad."

The look of utter loss and longing in the usually bright child's eyes pulled at something inside Sesshomaru and he decided it couldn't hurt to indulge the boy. He had been a father-like-figure before. Closer to his heart, he had been a boy who had lost his father when young, not knowing how to ask for the approval that he so desperately needed. When Souta looked up, Sesshomaru nudged at his hand lightly with the end of his nose and the child's eyes lit up as he smiled. "I'm going to throw it really, _really_ hard!" He challenged. Sesshomaru smirked.

When the child surprisingly threw the ball rather hard for one so young, the small white object soaring through the air and out beyond another small building, Sesshomaru finally allowed his body to let loose. His muscles relaxed at once before tensing and pushing adrenaline through his system on command, forcing himself forward, he ran at two thirds speed, dashing after the ball and jumping into the air to catch it some point just beyond the trees. When he turned, looking back, Souta stood with his mouth hanging wide open, standing perfectly still for several long minutes before jumping up.

"That was so cool! You're so fast!" Souta cried out, fist pumping into the air in a victorious move. When Sesshomaru returned, depositing the ball at his feet, Souta reached down to pick it up with his gloved hand before giving a smirk. "Okay, Yuki, let's see if you can catch _this one_." He dared, pulling his arm back and throwing the ball once more. Sesshomaru watched it move through the air, darting after it and sending flurries of snow into the air with his movements as he had to suddenly shift when the ball twisted and curved. How fascinating.

An hour later, Sesshomaru had to admit that he was actually enjoying himself, thoroughly and completely, for the first time in several hundred years. It had been so long since he had a chance to display his powers and even longer since he had an admirer who could understand why he was worth their praise. It was as if some strange power was drawing him towards this moment of masculine bliss, and in that instant, hearing the boy's laughter as he caught the ball once more, Sesshomaru realized he wouldn't mind having a son of his own. That was impossible.


	19. Kill it with FIRE!

Prompt: when they destroyed Naraku with the help of Sesshomaru via sakemori

* * *

**Kill it with FIRE!  
**

When his mother called him inside, Souta went in to eat, leaving Sesshomaru outside alone. He didn't want to spend so much time indoors, it wasn't in his nature. Looking about the yard for what felt like the first time, he began to stalk out to the perimeter of the property. Glancing left and right, he proceeded to begin to mark the area, leaving a wide and well known trail of his scent in various ways around the shrine. Here and there, he found a little spirit lingering beneath a root or a rock, waiting for some innocent shrine visitor.

Dispatching the annoying little youkai with a growl or a snap of his fangs, he frightened them away. Although, this seemed to be somewhat unnecessary, as he noted how Kagome's purity had spread around the shine in such a wide and circular way that it was as if she was shielding the place. Perhaps she was. Sesshomaru chose to stake his claim _around_ hers, letting any youkai in the vicinity know that this was now _his_ territory, and they would be wise to stay away. The process took hours, he finally finishing at the base of the stairs. He howled.

A warning to let those who might understand know that this was his home and those within it were under his protection. He would not go so far as to call them pack, they did not mean that much to him, but it was his temporary residence and as such, he was going to treat it as he would any place he might call home. Home, a strange sensation rose up in his chest at that word. It had been such a long time since he had had one, he wasn't sure if this was what it felt like anymore.

When a scream echoed through the snowy trees, Sesshomaru stilled, eyes widening and nostrils flaring before he ran up the steps and shoved past the startled grandfather before barreling up the stairs and coming to pause at the sight of Kagome, standing on her bed, pointing with a knitting needle to the floor in terror. Stepping lightly within, he turned to look and let out a heavy breath of relief as her mother came in behind him, eyes wide. "Kagome, what is wrong?" When her eyes fell on the middle of the floor where her daughter was pointing, she sighed.

A spider. Of all things, a tiny, little, insignificant spider. Sesshomaru smirked and tapped at it with a paw, sending it skittering away. The girl on the bed squeaked in fright. Rolling his eyes, he stepped onto the bed, allowing the horrified girl to fall forward and throw her arms about him for comfort and protection. Her mother called out in the hall for Souta to collect the spider and the boy, a bit too happily, complied with the task given. Sesshomaru watched as Souta entered with a jar and a piece of cardboard, tongue sticking out as he concentrated.

While he was not an expert hunter, it was clear that Souta had performed this duty many times. Apparently, Kagome had been afraid of spiders her entire life, or at least, that's what she told him when the spider had been taken away. Sesshomaru wondered what Souta might do with it, but remained with Kagome as her grip on his fur might just rip it out if he moved. Kagome continued to babble on about all the things she was irrationally terrified of, which included such oddities as toasters, uncapped toothpaste, and "that sticky film left behind from a bandage".

It was strange that she was afraid of spiders. He could remember her strong stance when they faced Naraku for the last time. She seemed to be anything but afraid in that moment. Perhaps, she had not looked upon him as a spider? That was doubtful; anyone in Naraku's vicinity would have thought of him as a spider, even if he had never displayed such attributes, his personality was enough. Even odder was how the girl was afraid of so many stupid things, but had somehow faced off one of the more powerful evils in the history of Japan. Strange.


	20. Empty Spaces

Prompt: green-eyed monster and simple pleasures by 1CarinoInu

* * *

**Empty Spaces  
**

"Kagome, perhaps you should consider giving Yuki a dog house." Her mother mentioned one morning over breakfast. "He seems to like the outdoors." She added, not wanting it to seem as if she had a problem with the dog being inside. If anything, she even slept easier with the large canine in the house. For some reason, the home had become happier, more vibrant, and felt safer since the night she had relented and allowed a muddy dog in. She didn't want to keep him outside permanently, just wanted to provide him with shelter and comfort when he was outdoors.

Her daughter hummed and turned to look at the dog curiously, her chopsticks resting on her lips thoughtfully. "What do you think, Yuki? Would you like a doghouse?" He gave her his trademark deadpan stare, to which she laughed. He wasn't the sort of dog to bark in response to her. In fact, she had hardly heard him make a peep since he came to live with them. She had read that dogs usually used barking to communicate with their human companions. Perhaps he didn't have anything to say to them? The thought saddened her a little. A solitary dog.

It was unusual, to say the least. Dogs were normally social creatures, loving to mingle and associate with their pack. Maybe he just wasn't properly socialized? Although, she _had_ known another dog that was antisocial by nature. Her expression turned distant and sorrowful until she felt Yuki's nose nudging at her hand from his place beside her. She looked down on him with a small smile before turning back to her mother. "I'll call up the others this afternoon and see if they want to help build a dog house, I don't think Souta and I can manage by ourselves."

Her mother nodded. "There should be plenty of spare wood out in the shed. Souta, you'll retrieve it and find a good spot for the dog house. Let Yuki help you, it'll be his, after all." Heavy silence fell over the table as none would comment any further, not wanting to set Kagome's good mood off into a sour one. Sesshomaru felt an irritation within him that he couldn't quite place. Why did it seem as if the wood mentioned was somehow a bad thing? Would the dog house they were building for him bring bad memories for Kagome? Why?

That afternoon, Sesshomaru had to set aside his concerns as he growled low when Shippo stepped lightly up the shrine stairs, giving a wink and a wave to him when no one was looking. The kitsune seemed to find it _funny_ that Sesshomaru was still here. He went so far as to come over to Sesshomaru, kneeling down while the others were gathering supplies and whispering low enough where no human could possibly hear. "Nice territory you've got here. Just remember, Kagome doesn't belong to you." At that, he stood, voice slipping into his girlish ways as he greeted Kagome.

Didn't belong to him? Of all the ridiculous things! Why would the kit even begin to think that Sesshomaru wanted to claim the girl? She was the clumsiest, most long-winded human he had ever met – not to mention she was afraid of things like _toasters_. Who in their right mind was afraid of a toaster? Even he, who lacked opposable thumbs (thus making using one rather dangerous for him), was not afraid of them. On top of that, she had harbored affection for his idiot half-brother, making her most assuredly an idiot, too. Claiming Kagome, what an insane notion! Preposterous!

Kagome interrupted his ranting; calling out for him to join her on the same blanket they had used to watch the meteor shower. He went over to her, sitting beside her as they watched the others dig out a space in the snow to begin working. Her friends had told her to just sit and watch; as they were worried she might hurt herself further. Sesshomaru had to agree that was probably best. Part of him was annoyed that he could not build the thing himself, but that would entirely nullify the point of building it. She would need another.

He turned to look at her, realizing that he would have to find her a replacement if he were to leave. She was building a house for him, a major commitment. Besides, it would make her sad and lonely to see it empty. Lying down beside her, he rested his head in her lap, glancing over at Shippo with a small, mocking smirk before closing his eyes to enjoy himself as Kagome began to pet him gently. His thoughts remained on her, though, as he worried about how he might give her a replacement puppy when he broke his curse.

With a content sigh, he allowed his thoughts to wander onto days when the curse would be lifted and he was once again at his full strength. Oddly, unlike before when his imaginings would have to do with exacting his revenge on all those who had thought less of him, all his concerns involved her. How would he assure that she forgot InuYasha, but did not end up alone? How would he fill the gap that he would leave, now that she was becoming far too attached to him? How would he repay her family for their kindness towards him?

His worries slipped away as Kagome leaned in, resting her head atop his with her own happy sigh. They remained that way through the duration of the building, neither one moving for fear that they might break the peaceful warmth that had grown between them. For a few, minute, scattered moments Sesshomaru wondered why he would ever give such a thing up. Within Kagome's gentle embrace, listening to the sound of her steady heartbeats, he found comfort that he had not known for years – not since he last held a tiny child as she slept soundly against his chest, trusting.


	21. How Do You Measure Its Worth?

Prompt: Silver and Gold- Song from Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer & Chestnuts roasting on an open fire via wallflowerotaku (no worship necessary, darling!)

* * *

**How Do You Measure Its Worth?  
**

Kagome sat under the kotatsu, her friends around her all drinking warm tea after having completed the dog house. Sesshomaru had learned that the wood was so old because it was remnants of the well-house, the odd building that sat at the back of the yard. Apparently, whenever the well-house needed repairs, they would remove the boards and replace them with new ones, setting the old ones aside for potential use later. This upset Kagome. He stored the information for future use, still somewhat confused as to why it would bother her so much. He would have to ask later.

"We'll be getting the tree soon." Kagome beamed to her friends. Her arms went out wide, gesturing for the sake of their imaginations. "It's going to be huge! Mama said they are going to place it outside so we have to be careful what we decorate with. Nothing that can harm animals can be put on the tree as they will try to eat the decorations or carry them off for nest building. I was wondering what we could use to make the ornaments with. We have garland from popcorn and cranberries, but there aren't many ideas for ornaments online."

Eri smiled gently and spoke up. "We could use pinecones." The others nodded and, feeling more confident, she continued. "What if we dip the pinecones in peanut butter and then coat them with birdseed? It would give the tree a more natural look, but would be safe for birds, squirrels, and other animals. We could tie them on with plain colored twine, so even if birds took the twine for nest building, it would be safer for their use than something man made." Kagome turned to ask her mother for a pen and paper so they could write down ideas.

After they had come up with many ideas, Kagome and the others began to dress to go out and purchase the needed supplies. Her mother had warned her to be careful, suggesting that perhaps she should not go, but Kagome insisted that she was not an invalid. Sesshomaru followed, seemingly forgotten as the friends made their way down the street, not one noticing that he had joined them – or, if they did notice, they made no note of it. He supposed that was not unusual behavior from Shippo, who had his arm through Kagome's as they walked along the sidewalk.

When the girls stopped to praise some jewelry in a shop, Shippo finally gave Sesshomaru a sideways glance, smirking before he turned to Kagome and innocently asked which type she preferred. For some unknown reason, Sesshomaru listened intently. Kagome worried her lip and turned her head to one side. "Jewels are nice, but I guess I'm drawn to the shiny metals. I just can't decide which I like better!" She gave a laugh at that and turned to Yuka, who was pointing out a pink tourmaline that had caught her eye. They discussed how it would make a lovely ring.

None of the girls discussed the fact that they had no such reason to have a ring like that, but they continued to ogle the jewelry while the males waited in annoyed but amused silence. Eri paused, raising her head and sniffing the air. "Bread!" She called out at the scent and turned on a foot, looking around for the source before her finger fell on a bakery across the snowy street. Giving an excited sound, the young girl tugged her friend along and they ran across the street towards the heavenly smell of freshly baked goods. Sesshomaru followed them.

It had seemed like such an innocent moment, they were merely making their way across the street, when the sound of screeching tires and a scream caused Sesshomaru to turn and look for only a second. The car had lost control, their breaks slipping in the snow long enough to cause them to continue to veer towards the young girls. Shippo was trying desperately to pull Kagome along, but her cast was heavy and her fear even greater. The resounding crash, followed by a loud, pained scream ended with the impact of the car smashing into a tree. Kagome gasped.

Raising up from where she had been shoved to the side of the road, her eyes widened and filled with tears as she clumsily rose and tried to race towards her newest companion. "Yuki! Yuki, no!" She cried out, tears streaming down her face at the sight of his mangled body, covered with blood, lying limply on the other side of the street. She couldn't see his face and she couldn't make if he was breathing or not. Was he dead? Her heart ripped through her chest as she reached for him, pushing through the surrounding crowd that had formed.

Sirens filled the once happy shopping district as the music crooned on about roasting chestnuts and Jack Frost nipping at your nose. Lower lip trembling, Kagome's heart skipped a beat as she fell to the ground beside her battered friend and reached out weakly for a pulse. Ayumi stopped her, having followed her, and put her own hand on his side, closing her eyes with relief before looking to Kagome. "He lives." She uttered breathlessly, reaching over to embrace her shaken friend. Kagome's wide eyes stared down on her injured companion, her mind racing towards her thoughts of the metals.

Silver and gold… two of the most precious metals on Earth, and Kagome had nearly lost _another_ living representation of them. She did not favor jewelry; in reality, it was merely that the shiny metals had always reminded her of two amazing brothers. Now, Yuki shared that place in her heart and she could think of nothing more precious than he. All the precious metals and gems in the world, all the fire-rat robed hanyou with cocky grins, all the silent but ever guarding youkai lords… none of them amounted to the enormity of loss she felt in this moment.


	22. Praise

Prompt: An InuTaisho and Sesshomaru moment back when he was still alive via sakemori

* * *

**Praise  
**

Foolish. It had been an impulse to throw himself out and push her out of the way. He knew he wouldn't die, but wouldn't it make his life so much easier if she did? His heart clenched painfully, but he refused to think it was because of the idea of Kagome dying and was more from the fact that he was bleeding all over the place. Taking slow breaths, he ignored as humans rushed around him, packing him up and placing him inside a vehicle. When his eyes lightly opened, he was surprised to find Shippo climbing into the vehicle.

Where was Kagome? He could only hear her sobs from here, but could not see her. He did not know that at the moment, she lacked the capacity to travel with him to the animal hospital, that she was currently a crumpled heap, trying to cling to the bloody mess he had left as her friends attempted to pull her out of the street. He did not know that Shippo had offered to go with him, having gone from a rivalry to a friendly respect at the moment Sesshomaru had given his life for Kagome's, because he was also youkai.

In fact, Sesshomaru knew very little in that moment. His brain was only able to grasp sounds and colors sporadically, not even sure if he really saw Ayumi's brown eyes shift to Shippo's green depths or if he was hallucinating. When the ambulance arrived at the hospital, wheeling him in, the last thing he remembered was a young nurse, dressed in a crisp white outfit, smiling down on him as she placed a mask over his face. As the gas seeped into his lungs, his eyes felt heavy, and his last delusional thought was one he would rather never admit.

"She isn't as pretty as Kagome." Darkness surrounded him as that thought echoed in his own mind. Standing there, trapped in his own consciousness, he couldn't bring himself to attempt anything as the strangeness of those words enfolded around him. When had he begun to look at her as anything more than an annoying, if not comforting, presence in his life? Was he truly enjoying the girl? Bringing a hand up to rub at his forehead, he stilled and stared down at the wide palm, expression bland as he tried to figure out how he was in his humanoid form.

"You always were a little slow, my son." A familiar voice teased. Sesshomaru looked up, eyebrow rising as he stared at his father in disbelief. His expression soon turned sour as he took in what his father said. His own father, the great and powerful Inu no Taisho had treated him no better than those obnoxious pups he knew as classmates. In fact, if he had to be totally honest, his father had been _worse_ simply because he was his father. What father said such things about their own son? What father laughed at their son's weakness? His father did.

"What do you want?" He ground out, turning away from his elder. He had stopped respecting his father when he began to also use that horrible word to define his own son. It didn't matter if it was _technically_ true. It was painful and damaging. It had taken Sesshomaru decades to overcome the long-reaching results of his childhood as the singular mistaken production of his mother and father. When Inu no Taisho had taken a mate, it had been thought to be a wonderful thing, until the day Sesshomaru was born. After that, everyone ridiculed his mother, father, and him.

An enormous blessing in a tiny package, his mother had called him. She had always been proud of him, even if she too, would become cold and distant. It was hardest on her than on anyone else. She had been expected to produce a male heir by the second spring with her new mate, but no such heir had been forthcoming. Oh, she had managed to capture his seed and reproduce it into a pup, but when the pup came within the first winter, far too early, it was hairless and barely formed. This would be the new Lady's life.

She would suffer through many attempted pregnancies, through the first sympathetic and sorrow filled gazes that eventually turned cold and blaming. It was i_her fault_/i that the great Inu no Taisho had no heir. Like any good mate, she endured this burden with grace, never once showing the pain behind the comments and stares. At her eleventh miscarried pregnancy, the physicians insisted she give it up, stating that she would be risking her own life and health for the sake of something that would never be. Instead of heeding their words, she held onto hope and tried once more. Praying.

Despite being a youkai, his mother became very religious, giving over her faith and trust to whatever gods or goddesses might assist her. If she could not successfully become a mother, she would lose all dignity and worth. Finally, she managed to become pregnant for the twelfth time. The pregnancy had been difficult, more difficult than the others, and his mother was bedridden for most of it, unable to eat more than a few morsels of food at a time. Yet, she did not complain once. On the night of the moon shadow – an inauspicious night – she birthed three pups.

The first two were stillborn, albeit far more developed than any pup she had previously birthed. The last of them, her sixteenth child, would be Sesshomaru. They say his mother cried for the first and last time that night as she declared him the killing perfection, stating that he was the death of her long string of misfortune in attempting to become a mother and that he was also _absolutely perfect_. His father had allowed it as it was a strong, domineering name that implied death to his enemies, he said it was appropriate for a potential heir. Potential heir…

Those had been the first hateful words that Sesshomaru and his mother had to endure. It was not an unreasonable statement from the powerful general. Sesshomaru was only heir by birth, by the sheer fact that he had lived while others had not. However, he was, in fact, exactly what others called him… i_a runt_/i. Smaller than other pups and slow to develop, it would have been reckless to place the title of heir firmly upon Sesshomaru's shoulders. Yet, the painful fact that his father had never trusted that he would grow to be worthy still lingered. No, it burned.

Like an infectious wound, Sesshomaru had grown in his desire to gain his father's approval, to surpass him in power, to prove everyone and everything that he was a dangerous and powerful youkai. None of this caused his extreme anger, however. It was when his father turned to the arms of a human woman and bore a hanyou child, shattering his mother's fragile sense of stability as her true value was now apparent for all to see. This was what caused Sesshomaru to hate. To hide his emotions and lock them away, never trusting another again – not until helpless Rin.

In Rin, he had seen himself. She was small, fragile, and sought his approval and attention as if her life depended on it. Despite all this, she was not weak. She grew to be a strong woman, even for a human, powerful in mind, body, and heart. If it were not for that tiny, delicate child, Sesshomaru likely would have spent his entire life hating everyone else for the sad circumstances of his birth. The blame now fell on his father, if he had not called him like that, if he had simply praised him once. That had happened once.

The praise had been hollow, but it had been there. His father, trying to find some positive side in his miniscule son, usually did not pay any heed to the boy. Sesshomaru was not as intelligent as his father demanded, books and lectures boring the child to no end. Nor was he as commanding as an alpha should be – as far as the Inu no Taisho was concerned, his son was barely a beta… and that was being generous. It was not a display of dominance or wit that caught his father's eye, but Sesshomaru's potential strength. The first kill.

Having had enough of being called weak, pathetic, _runt_… Sesshomaru had acted as any hormonal, emotional, adolescent male might, and had attacked his assailant. His father watched, amber eyes glowing with intensity as the first signs of green poison dripped from Sesshomaru's tiny claws. With speed that none expected, the young lord thrust his hand through the chest of his classmate, ripping his heart out and holding it out for a few moments before squeezing it with a sickening pop. Blood splattered everywhere, dripping from Sesshomaru's delicate hand. He tossed the remainder of the heart onto the corpse before him.

When Sesshomaru turned, his father was there, looking down upon him. No words passed. They were not necessary. His father placed a hand over his son's shoulder and squeezed, ever so lightly but firmly, at the slender boy's collarbone. Within his father's eyes he could see the lingering praise. "Well done, my son. Well done." It would not last, however, as by the following week; his father would have a new son to dote upon. A strong, healthy son, even if he was a hanyou. InuYasha's birth would overshadow Sesshomaru's fragile relationship with his father, unknowingly shattering it into pieces.

His father looked to him, silently, and Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. "What do you want?" He managed through clenched teeth, wondering what sort of hell would require him to spend eternity in an empty, darkened space with no other company than his father. What had he done in life that was so terrible to deserve this torture? The great general stepped over to him, causing Sesshomaru to turn and look at him out of instinct, and when his father's hand came to rest on his shoulder, a lump formed in his throat as he relived that single moment of fatherly praise.


	23. Figment

Prompt: tinsel via 1CarinoInu

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**Figment  
**

When he first opened his eyes, slowly and carefully, he had to close them immediately due to the absolutely bright lights above. Resting, he noticed a few things that hadn't been immediately apparent. First, he wasn't dead, like he had expected. (Was his father just a delusion?) Second, he could hear movement around him, animals of various sorts making noises somewhere in the distance, and a faint whimpering. Giving off a groan, he was assaulted by Kagome's cries when she gasped and rushed to his side, shifting whatever he was lying on in her desperate need to be beside him.

"Yuki! Yuki, are you okay?" Sesshomaru let out a heavy breath and a light rumble, despite knowing she couldn't understand him, asking if she was truly as much an idiot as he thought. What did she expect him to do? Say he was absolutely fine, even if he felt worse than he had in his entire life? Tell her that the aching pains in his abdomen were still present, despite his youkai blood healing most of the absolute danger? Ask her how he managed to get away with such a healing process without the doctors questioning his unusual abilities? Ridiculous.

Slowly opening his eyes again, he looked right ahead of him, seeing a vague outline of Kagome's face, her features blurry, and something sparkly glittering behind her. Letting out another pained sound, he closed his eyes once more, wondering why they were so heavy. After a few moments more of rest, he took in a deep breath, realizing that she expected him to give her some sort of response. He couldn't let her down; his pride was already damaged in the fact that he was so injured. Opening his eyes, he finally was able to focus on her tear-stained face.

He hated the look she was giving him now. Weak, pathetic, pitiable, these were the words he would associate with that look. Although, he could also attach _worried_ to her expression. Only Rin had ever worried for him. Even his mother never worried, although he wondered if she had been capable after being broken so thoroughly. He was lucky she was able to function at all. Still, the very idea of Kagome feeling as if she needed to worry for him was irritating. Things would have gone differently if he wasn't cursed. Absently, he looked down, assuring he still was.

Of course he was. That was why she had called him Yuki. With a sigh, he lay his head down; staring past her annoying face to the odd silvery sparkle dangling down from what was very obviously a fake tree at the end of the hallway. His mind wandered to the accident, an irritated scowl coming to his face. If this had happened in his humanoid state, when he could have spent the many hours he did in strength training, he wouldn't have been injured. He could imagine it already. Kagome would never have been in any danger. Never ever.

He would have been beside her. When the car lost control, instead of placing her in danger, it would have been nothing more than another obstacle in his way. He always cut down things that were in his way. Perhaps he could slice in half, although that didn't seem as fun – it was too easy, and unlikely to impress. Instead, he could pull her close, using his body as a shield before smashing the car with his fist. That would be far more pleasing. Physically destroying things with his hands was always much more exciting. Kagome would be impressed, too.

His brow furrowed and he turned away from her, causing her to let out a sad sigh. That sound caused a pained pang in his chest which he did his best to ignore. He didn't like where his thoughts were going. Even his delusional fantasies of what might have happened if he wasn't cursed anymore involved her! Couldn't he daydream without the annoying female injecting herself into every moment of his existence? When Kagome's gentle hand rested against his head, petting him lightly, he had to close his eyes tightly and grit his teeth at the warm sensation within him.

"I'm sorry, Yuki." Kagome said brokenly, softly, he was surprised even he could hear it through the beginnings of her light sobs. When he turned to her, to try to express that she had absolutely nothing to be sorry for, to try to resolve the sudden, unexpected desire to reassure her, she had left. Shippo stared at him with narrowed eyes, obviously not happy with what had just happened, but not bothering to waste another moment on Sesshomaru, leaving the injured youkai to heal alone as he went after the despondent girl. Sesshomaru frowned and raised his eyebrow in wonder.

He had hurt her. Why did that bother him so much? He didn't want to upset her, he just didn't want to endure these strange feelings he was getting. He had never felt this conflicted about another in his entire life. Not his father, not his mother, not InuYasha, not even Rin. Only Kagome managed to wind her way into his icy heart, like a strange weed, she had formed thorns against the dangers of his heart in order to remain within. Sesshomaru stared down the hall, eyes catching on the strange silver substance once more. Unconsciously, he whimpered. Waiting.


	24. Loving You Was What I Was Trying To Do

Prompt: the first time Sesshomaru realized he loved Rin via sakemori

* * *

**Loving You Was What I Was Trying To Do  
**

When Kagome and her mother came to retrieve him, the girl looking no worse for the wear than before the accident, he wondered what had happened. It was then that he realized how she had been able to face Naraku without showing her utter fear, she lied. Every movement she made was unnatural, the looks she gave were forced, and the scent she emitted betrayed her otherwise stellar performance. Had it been anyone else, they might have believed she was no longer upset. She couldn't fool him, though. Unfortunately, when he moved to do something, anything, she pulled away. Fear.

At the first pungent citrus tangs to her fragrance, his eyes widened as a sharp stab ripped through his heart. Before he could get any closer, Shippo stepped between them, his eyes filled with this strange mixture of emotions that Sesshomaru couldn't quite place. Anger? Hurt? Understanding? Sympathy? He would have asked, but he didn't want Kagome to misinterpret his questions so he opted for silence. When Shippo reached around with Kagome's mother and lifted the ends of the blanket he was resting on, they carried him to the car, Kagome holding the back door open as she stood emotionless.

It was so unlike her that it sent a chill up his spine as Shippo climbed in through the back seat, exiting on the other side, and Kagome gave him a silent, long look, it finally clicked what was happening. She closed the door gently, turning away suddenly and going to Yuka and Hojo who stood nearby, crumbling into her friend's embrace. Yuka patted her on the back, looking to Eri warily and giving a sigh before they turned to Ayumi who had come around the car. Kagome sniffed and spoke, the words coming mumbled through the car door. No.

This wasn't right. She couldn't. She _wouldn't_! When Mrs Higurashi and Ayumi got into the car, leaving Kagome, and the others behind, Sesshomaru lifted up, not caring about the pain, to look out the glass, more infuriated than ever at his lack of opposable thumbs. How could she do this to him? When their eyes met as the car began to drive away, Kagome gasped, her trembling hand reaching up towards him as she moved to chase the car down, but she couldn't. Her leg wouldn't let her, and so all she managed was a single, stumbling step forward. No.

Don't run. Don't hurt yourself, you stupid idiot. He growled out. A hand came out to rest on his back, trying to be comforting but not really knowing how to be. Sesshomaru looked over to Shippo, his gaze mistrusting. He had heard Kagome's words to him, knew what they were doing, but he could do nothing about it. None of this made sense! Was this the kitsune's doing? When they pulled up before a strange house, both females got out. Shippo opened the door and Sesshomaru took a few hesitant moments before making a choice. Without looking back, he ran.

Shippo yelled out, chasing after him, but he couldn't use his full strength in his human illusion and even if he could, he would never be a match for Sesshomaru – even injured. When he fell forward, gasping for air at the end of the street, he looked up and watched as the blur of white ran as fast it could. Shippo sighed and gritted his teeth. "Stupid idiot." He muttered, before turning to a concerned Mrs Higurashi and pulling on a worried expression. "I'm so sorry! I couldn't catch him!" The mother watched the dog flee with a melancholy expression.

"I'll call the necessary services and we'll find him." She said before turning to get into the car and go retrieve her daughter, taking a slow breath as she clutched the steering wheel with whitened knuckles. How was she going to explain this? Her daughter was already distraught, blaming herself for her friend's injuries. It had taken all the mother had just to convince her daughter that the dog was not going to die, he just had to stay somewhere else until his injuries were healed. There was no way they could carry the heavy dog up all those stairs.

None had expected him to bolt the first chance he had. Yet, that was exactly what he did. He had not known their reasoning for putting him up with Shippo. He hadn't _cared_. He didn't want to be anywhere else but with Kagome. That thought alone fueled his body, filled him with adrenaline as he ran from something he had never known before. This feeling, this overwhelming sense of happy contentment, and this growing sensation of trust… he had never felt this before. It terrified him more than any enemy he had ever faced, more than his father's eternal disapproval.

He came around the shrine from the back, not wanting to be noticed, stepping lightly through the snow before crawling into the large dog house Kagome and her family had provided for him. They could think what they liked, they could try their best to be rid of him, but they had given this to him. This place, this house was _his _until he deemed another worthy of it. Sliding beneath the blanket that Kagome had stuffed inside, he curled up within, only the very tip of his tail hanging out. He closed his eyes. It smelled of her. Kagome.

Brow furrowing, he sat there in the chilly house, his body heat slowly filling the space to keep him warm as he considered these strange emotions he was having lately. What was this? What was this desire to stick around no matter what anyone might say or do? Why did the idea of Kagome fearing him bother him so much when he had spent his entire life trying to elicit that sensation from every being he had come into contact with? Why could he feel the strange weeds that she had planted within his heart still growing, despite her actions?

Was he doomed to this confusion for eternity? Just as he thought no answers would be forthcoming, a small prick alerted him to the presence of one of his remaining retainers. Giving a sigh, Sesshomaru looked over to Myouga with a conflicted expression. "Lord Sesshomaru!" The flea called out in glee. It was about right for the little insect to find his way to him once more. It took him a couple weeks to find him normally, and he would only show up whenever it seemed Sesshomaru was living in moderate comfort. Otherwise, the flea usually remained with Totosai. Coward.

Still, he was possibly the only one who could help him sort through this trouble. "Myouga, you will answer my questions. If you lie, I will eat you." At the concept of remaining within the youkai lord's digestive tract until he came out the other end, the flea turned a bit green and nodded. Sesshomaru continued, explaining what had occurred since his arrival in the Higurashi household and his unusual feelings in regards to Kagome. "The child is an absolute idiot, she will surely get herself killed someday. Worse, she was emotionally involved with InuYasha." The flea sat back, thinking.

"Lord Sesshomaru…" He broached, coughing as he prepared to say something delicate, something he was sure the young lord had not considered before. "Do you think, perhaps, you love Kagome?" A heavy paw quickly fell down upon the flea, flattening it swiftly as Sesshomaru growled. Myouga understood his master's discontent; it did not need to be explained. You weren't the loyal servant of a long line of youkai without learning a thing or two about them, after all. After righting himself, he dusted his shirt off and continued. "Please hear me out, my lord! There is something you should consider!"

"I understand that you are thinking there is no way it could be possible! If it were, the curse would be broken! However, what if the witch that cursed you meant that the love you shared had to be mutual?" Sesshomaru leveled the flea with a glare, not liking the uncomfortable, almost itchy way this conversation was making him feel. Love Kagome? What an entirely stupid thought! Besides, didn't she already care for him greatly as Yuki? Wouldn't _that_ affection be enough to fulfill the conditions of the curse? As if he could read his master's thoughts, the flea continued.

"I have been thinking some time on your predicament with Rin. I think the problem was not that you did not love each other, but _how_." Once again, Sesshomaru flattened him, his irritation getting the better of him. He never did enjoy long conversations and debates of the mind. He wanted to plow through this problem like he did all others. The flea gave a huff and bowed before leaving, muttering under his breath about indignity and respect for elders. Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and laid his head down, nuzzling his nose into the blanket and inhaling Kagome's comforting scent.

The flea's thoughts now entered his mind and he realized that the stupid old bug was probably right. He had loved Rin. He could still remember the first moment he fully realized it, when he retrieved her from the very depths of hell, the desperate feeling within him at the idea of never having her around. Memories of her had floated within him – simple things - of her toothless grin, of her lopsided ponytail, of the way she hopped and skipped everywhere she went, of the number of flowers she plucked from the earth, of tiny hands within his own.

Each one had driven him further towards her. Yet, not one terrified him the way his need for Kagome did. With Rin, it had been a gentle thing, as if losing her would be like losing his arm once more – he could live without it, but he didn't want to. When he thought back to just hours earlier, looking at her sad expression as she lamely tried to run after him, he could not describe that moment in the same way. Kagome was like sunshine, he couldn't imagine life without it. Rin, she was like the moon – a mere echo.

In that moment, Sesshomaru probably would have cried if he were capable. He had not done so before, so he had no idea how. Yet, the deep pain at his realization of his own folly hit him harder than any battle wound – far worse than the car had just that morning. He _had_ loved Rin, as a father loves a daughter. He just had stupidly not known what that sort of love was like, having never really received it himself. Closing his eyes, he let out a pained whimper at the understanding that Rin had probably loved him, too. Idiot.


	25. You Make Me Feel

Prompt: tapestry via missartemis88 (I have to admit that the very _first_ thing I thought of at this prompt was the lovely Carole King and one of the most magnificent albums _ever_. I have decided to use this album as the definition of this prompt. I hope you enjoy! If you have never heard this lovely woman (I would be surprised if you hadn't) I suggest you look her and this album up!)

* * *

**You Make Me Feel  
**

Kagome's head pressed against the glass of the window, her sobs long died down to a drizzling little whimpers. Her mother broke the news to her after they had dropped the last of her friends off and the young woman had immediately fallen into a fit of wails, demanding her mother drive like a madwoman all around, searching for Yuki. As any loving parent would, her mother did as requested and took her daughter around half the prefecture, wasting a good amount of money in all the fuel costs. Unfortunately, they did not find her beloved dog after several hours.

The young woman looked a mess, her breaths shaking as her tears tumbled down her face. Inwardly, she wondered if she might never be able to find peace. Giving a small scoff, she shook her head at the irony. Peace had become synonymous with silver haired, golden eyed dogs that weren't quite normal. Kagome wasn't stupid. She knew Yuki wasn't a normal dog. He was a youkai. It was part of what attached her to him so quickly, what allowed him to fill the torn gap in her heart. Yet, the closer they became the further away he became. Changes.

Perhaps it was too late. She wanted to try to reach him, sensing the deep pain that he held, too. They were alike. From what she could gather, he distrusted humans very much. So much that, when her mother suggested he stay with someone else during his recuperation (he couldn't remain at the hospital), Kagome had vehemently said that was impossible. However, her mother had insisted and she was forced to comply, realizing that her mother had practical concepts in mind. When the decision had been made, Kagome couldn't bring herself to tell him directly. She couldn't even touch him.

Afraid she would break down and be unable to do what was best for his health, she could barely look at him. When he moved as if to comfort _her_, it took every ounce of her strength to step back and let the others handle it. Not wanting to be out of the process, she held the door, staring down on him for a few moments before closing the door with a heavy weight in her heart. How could she return home without him? What would home be like without him? It wouldn't feel right. Yuki was home to her.

There she went again, her heart getting ahead of her. Closing her eyes, she tried to will the tears away as she realized that she couldn't live her whole life like this. Even if he never came back, just like they were permanently gone from her life, she had to wake up every single morning and plaster a big smile on her face just to assure her life wasn't filled with misery. There was too much love in her heart, even if that love wasn't - _couldn't be_ - reciprocated. How could she not share such a wonderfully beautiful thing?

A slow smile came to her face at that thought. It _was_ true, even if it was also bittersweet. She had so much love within her. Long ago she had let go of InuYasha, understanding that while they had loved each other, perhaps even lusted for the other mutually, the love they held was something far more unique and precious than she originally anticipated. Unfortunately, it had taken her leaving to realize this, going so far in time that he was now in a place that she could only describe as "way over yonder". Then there was _him_. Why him?

She never could come to grips with her weird fascination with him. Oh sure, he was attractive, any hot blooded young girl would have found him easy to lust after, even with his moody anger and dangerous behavior. That didn't explain why she was still thinking of him, and mostly after she had returned to her own time. There was no shortage of eye-candy in the modern time, after all. Besides, every time she had a little fantasy involving him, it was always something oddly comforting. Instead of the curiosities of sexual exploration that she held for InuYasha, she wanted…

Wanted to be his friend. For the longest time, she had used him as a sort of security blanket, clinging to him whenever the worst of thoughts came to her, when the darkness fell. Now, Yuki had taken his place, quickly and easily. Even better, Yuki had always been there for her, all she ever had to do was call. If she was in trouble, he would come running. A broken sob escaped her at this thought, and she brought her hands up to cup her face as she tried her best to keep it together, but was miserably failing.

As the car pulled into the driveway, Kagome's eyes widened and she gasped, not heeding her mother's cautious words about her not getting any ideas and going running off looking for the dog. Fumbling against the seatbelt, she let out an annoyed growl and finally managed to pull herself free, shoving the door to the car open before darting out into the freezing winter air, the wind blowing around her madly as another snowstorm had begun over the area. Stumbling through the snow, she went over to the end of the stairs, looking about as her heart began to race.

He was nearby. She could sense him. Cupping her mouth with her mittened hands, Kagome's cracked voice called out with all the desperation she could muster. "Yuki! YUKI!" She waited, feeling her stomach clench as her worry grew. The cold began to seep through her and she wrapped her arms around herself, shaking her head at her mother as the woman attempted to pull her indoors. "No! He is here! I know he is! He probably hates me for leaving him behind like that! I will never do that again!" Tears streamed down her eyes. "He trusted me, I'll stay."

Back in the doghouse, Sesshomaru had fallen asleep, his thoughts having tore his heart through the wringer was too much for him to bear. However, when Kagome first called out for him, his eyes flew open. Dashing up, he winced as his head met with the roof of the small building. Ignoring the momentary pain and the little voice in the back of his head that told him she had _abandoned_ him, he darted out into the snow, tossing up the chilly substance as he raced to the top of the steps before pausing and looking down. Their eyes met.

When she stumbled forward, kneeling into the freezing snow, and her arms flew open, he knew the truth then and there. She had not abandoned him; he had simply misinterpreted her intentions. She never would have left him behind. More important than that, he realized something far more important as his chest swelled and the growth within his heart grew once more, this time bringing something new with it: warmth. Dashing down the steps, he threw himself into her waiting embrace and understood that it did not matter if the curse was _ever_ broken. Sesshomaru was in love with Kagome.

As her arms enveloped him, the warmth only grew and he found a happy feeling that he had long forgotten resurfaced in his heart. For a few moments, he remembered his mother as she was when he was just a small pup, before she lost her sanity and any sense of kindness to his father's unjust judgment of her. In those moments, the words "Kagome" and "Home" were permanently intertwined within him. No matter what happened, he would always follow this woman. It didn't matter if he was the alpha. She could lead the way, and he would be content.

That night, they were burrowed together beneath her bedding, Kagome letting out soft sighs in her sleep as he watched her. Now that he had accepted, worry began to eat away at him. Would this last? Would she still cherish him if he managed to break this curse? He could not tell her how he felt; he couldn't even quite explain how he had come to feel this way. It had been through a long series of events where she had done what no other had and had needed him – exactly as he was. He wished he could ask her.

Tomorrow held such a weight over him like it never had before. Perhaps, he could just live his life like this? Did it matter if he was the laughing stock of youkai society? Did it matter if he was at less than an eighth of his power? None of that mattered. All that mattered was that Kagome would still need him the next day, and the day after that. For once in his long life, Sesshomaru had found something worth living for. He had not had such a responsibility since Rin. What a responsibility it was, too. He wouldn't complain.

Looking out the window, he noted that Kagome's pure barrier had lessened and he let out a sigh. He would need to clean up for her, clearing out the unwanted youkai that were sure to try to come and corrupt the shrine. At least he could do this much for her. A faint smirk crossed his face as he considered the irony of his life. He had spent his whole life trying to become the strongest, and for what? To become a guard dog – what would his great father say to _that_?! He thought back to his father's silent praise.

Perhaps, he would say he had done well. Would he think that guarding this woman's life was worth it? Power, revenge, hate… none of these things had led him to what he had wanted. All his life, while he had tried to be the strongest it was not because he enjoyed battle. He enjoyed being admired, being wanted, being needed. He had found a little of that with Rin, but not in the measure that would lead to any measure of solid contentment. Particularly not when she began to give that admiration, wanting, and need to his half-brother. How ironic.

He had been such a fool, hating the child he had adored so much for so many years when she could not give him what he sought. When he didn't even know what it was he sought. He had reached for something golden; something high above him, and when he had finally grasped it, his hand had come down empty. Kagome fidgeted again in her dream, a little sob escaping her. With a sigh, he shook his head and slid down to lay beside her. When she threw her arms around him, he soon joined her in dreams. Hopeful dreams.

Within her dreams, Kagome was wandering through a hazy landscape that looked very much like the forest around the tiny village she had once called home. A snap of a twig behind her startled her and she turned suddenly, looking in fright, only to let out a relieved sigh when she saw none other than Sesshomaru. Oddly, he looked different than she remembered. Confused, uncertain – as if he had no idea what he was doing, what he was there for, or where he ought to go. Licking her lips, she looked up at him. "Sesshomaru? Are you okay?" He nodded.

Yet, he did not say anything, continuing to wander as if he could not actually see her. Following him, she watched as he sat upon a rock beside a river and, as if someone had struck him, he clutched his chest, and _transformed_. Her eyes widened as he became Yuki. Taking an uneasy step forward, she reached out to do … something. He looked so very empty, so very sad and lonely. She knew this had to be a dream; there was no way that Yuki was Sesshomaru. It had to be a metaphor in her dream. She giggled lightly.

Perhaps she as associating him with the fairy tale frog prince and she should kiss him? When he looked to her with an empty look, as if seeing her for the first time and yet having been looking for her for so long, she felt her heart melt and decided that she could be bold within her dream. Leaning down, she threw her arms about him and placed a firm kiss on his snout. His eyes widened and suddenly the whole forest burst into white light, temporarily blinding her. Closing her eyes, she brought her hands up to cover them.

"Kagome." His voice broke through her dreams and she gasped, slowly lowering her hands to look at him with a wide, open mouth. He had never said her name. _Ever_. Not in her dreams, he hadn't. She began to doubt that his was a dream and licked her dry lips, eyes meeting with his. They stared at one another in silence for a while, as if they were having a quiet conversation that no one but they could participate in. When he stepped forward, drawing her body against his and leaning in to capture her lips, her eyes widened more.

For a few lame moments, she merely stood there, allowing him to do as he pleased. Finally, her brain caught up with her body, and she began to respond to him, at first uncertain. She had very little experience with kissing, having only kissed a few times and those had been so long ago that she could hardly recall them. Yet, this was like nothing she had ever imagined before. Her life had been so uninspired for so long that her dreams were normally pathetically bland. This was anything but pathetic or bland. Was she sure this was a dream?

Deciding it didn't matter if it was a dream or not, she threw caution to the wind and brought her hands up to tangle in his collar, increasing the depth of the kiss as he pulled her closer with a low growl. Life had been so unkind, she deserved to feel this way, to feel the warmth running up from her abdomen and seeping out her every pore. When they broke apart, her chest heaving with a gasp, she looked up at him with a shaky smile. She had been lost for so long, and now… now she was found.


	26. While Our Hearts in Love We Raise

Prompt: Angels We Have Heard On High via wallflowerotaku

**Note:** Because I am writing this in English and therefore all characters speak and think in English, I have decided to display lyrics that would normally be sung in another language in Japanese here.

* * *

**While Our Hearts in Love We Raise  
**

Kagome frowned as a strange and unusual sound filled her ears. Brow furrowing she shifted and tried to get comfortable, seeking Yuki's heat. After having that strange but amazing dream last night, she wasn't ready to get up yet. Unfortunately, the unusual sound continued, as whoever was making such a racket so early in the morning became louder. Roughly turning in her bed and pulling the blanket over her head, she whimpered as she listened to the voices singing in unison: "_Hitsuji wo mamoru, nobe no maki-bito, Ame-naru uta wo, yorokobi kikinu.__ Glooooooria, In Excelsis Deo, Glooooooria, In Excelsis Deo_."

Her arm went out, searching for Yuki's comfort. She didn't have anything against Christianity or singing, she just really didn't like that her home had become so very _loud_ and _busy_ overnight. She knew they were bringing the tree over that morning, but she didn't realize they were bringing a whole chorus to go with the decorating. She was ready to continue her mental complaining, when her hand came back empty. Eyes widening, she sat up suddenly, tossing the comforter off her as she began to look about the room frantically. Yuki was nowhere to be found. Her heart lurched.

"_Miuta wo kikite, hitsuji-kai-ra wa, Mabune ni fuseru, Miko wo ogaminu._ _Glooooooria, In Excelsis Deo, Glooooooria, In Excelsis Deo_." The choir continued to sing as Kagome's heart started to race. Had it all been a dream? Had she just been delusional that he had returned to her, had seemed as healthy as one could be after being hit by a car? No, it couldn't have been. Tears stung at her eyes as she attempted to stand, stumbling and gripping the chair at her desk for support. A horrible stabbing pain filled her chest at the idea of Yuki being gone.

"And here, you were having a lovely dream about making out with Sesshomaru." She thought to herself, mentally scolding for her behavior. It might seem silly to place a romantic encounter over a dog, but Sesshomaru was not here – he was long gone – and Yuki was real and present. He deserved her full loyalty. At that, she called out for him, her voice slightly broken as she did so. Her heart was still beating so unbearably fast and her mind was racing through the possible results if he was no longer around. What would she do with herself? A bark.

With a gasp, Kagome stumbled over to her bed and looked out the window, seeing Yuki standing there amid the snow, staring up at her. Letting out a relieved sigh, she placed her palm on the window, a silent hello, as the tears streamed down her face. No longer tears of fear and worry, they were not relieved and happy tears. He friend was home, he was safe, and she was complete. When Yuki turned and walked into the woods, apparently satisfied with her response, her mind began to wander. Why _had_ she dreamed of Sesshomaru like that? She blushed.


	27. Goodness and Light

Prompt: A star, a star dancing in the night. (Song lyrics from Do You Hear What I hear?) via kayelyn

* * *

**Goodness and Light  
**

Sesshomaru had sensed her frustration before he heard her call, rushing over towards the house. He realized that she was not in danger, just afraid, and called out her name – which she heard as the bark of a dog. She came to the window, relieved to see him, and he stood for a few moments more until the worry left her completely. When she was properly reassured, he returned to his task of widening his territory and staking a stronger claim. His old, temporary claim was faded and did not last. Now, he was claiming this land as his… _forever_.

This kept him away from Kagome for some hours, which he found produced a strange and irritating sensation within him. While he had accepted that he loved her in a way that he was unable to place, that didn't mean he had to enjoy the weird helpless feeling it gave him. He was _not_ helpless! He did _not_ require the girl's presence just to live his life! He frowned and stared back at the house, realizing that was a really weak lie. Who had be just been comparing to the very sunshine? What a fool he had become. Happy, though.

The day grew long, the tree having been decorated with the popcorn garland and the pinecone ornaments, among other things, Kagome finally made her way out of the house and trudged into the snow with a happy sigh, looking up at the tree. Finally, it was quiet again. The many visitors who had come were now gone and that left nothing but the occasional distant honk of a horn echoing from the distance. Well, that and the odd, croaking wheezing coming from somewhere behind her. Kagome frowned and turned, head cocking to one side as she tried to place it.

Blinking, she slowly began to stomp through the snow, leaving wide footprints behind her as the latest storm had blown in a good foot, before stopping outside Yuki's dog house. Was he sleeping inside? Kneeling down, a smile spread on her face as she reached into the darkened building to pet the dog, only to touch something wet and clammy. Had he become wet from the snow? She frowned and leaned further down, on her hands and knees, and looked into the opening. "Yuki?" Yellow eyes stared back at her, but they were not what she was expecting at all.

Instead of slim, narrow, deep golden eyes, these were round, beady, pale yellow. Swallowing down a lump in her throat she slid back slightly, trying to find a way to stand without being noticed. When whatever it was that was in Yuki's dog house turned to look at her, Kagome let out a shriek, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth as it began to step towards her and emitted the most foul odor she had ever smelled. She pushed back as she attempted to get away. The horrible stench was so bad she couldn't manage to get up.

Sesshomaru rushed to her side, having heard her earlier shriek, eyes widening as he realized just what was within the wooden structure. Standing before Kagome protectively, he growled out a few commands to his second retainer. He should have guessed the toad would come; Myouga probably informed him of his location, and despite his curse, the kappa was insistent on being there to serve his master in whatever way he could. Usually, this was a good thing. Jaken might not seem like much, but he was an excellent fisherman. He was also quite resourceful in finding lodging. Not entirely useless.

Unfortunately, he stood out as far as humans were concerned. Therefore, Sesshomaru had been leaving him behind. Typically, the toad would catch up with him around whenever Sesshomaru might be kicked out of whatever temporary place he had called home. Now, however, he had a permanent residence. This could prove to be problematic. Kagome knew Jaken from the past, this Sesshomaru knew. While he had not quite figured out _how_ the miko was able to travel to the past, she had done so and thus knew of Jaken. How would she react? Would she pleased or unhappy? Or, perhaps… no.

He paused, looking back to the disgusted and frightened girl. Maybe. Would she make the connection between him and his retainer? It was possible. She might be an idiot, but she wasn't unintelligent. The real question was: did he want her to know? For some reason the idea of her knowing that he was the elder brother of her former love interest didn't settle well with him. Or the fact that he used to be her enemy and had tried to kill her. Knowing her, the moment she found out he was cursed she would set out to fix it.

With his luck, she would be successful in some odd way. And when she was… he frowned. She would no longer wish to spend time with him, he was sure of it. His humanoid form brought with it too many bad memories. Worse, even if she deemed them worthy to be friends it would be unlikely they could continue to be so intimate. He could no longer enjoy her scent through the night, her mother's cooking, her brother's enthusiasm, her grandfather's antics… he had come to find a place for himself within their family, but only as Yuki the dog.

Yet, part of him _wanted_ her to know. A part of him that was normally silent, but now was pleading out that this would be good. Before he could come to a decision, Jaken let out a loud yawn before falling out of the dog house, flat on his back, staring up at them both with surprised eyes. His wide green mouth fell open and closed as if he were a fish having just been taken from water. Sesshomaru contemplated kicking him across the lawn for interrupting his thought process, even if the toad couldn't have possibly known. Kagome gasped.

"Ja…ja… _JAKEN_?!" She screamed, pointing at the toad with wide eyes, her other mittened hand still covering her face. Her eyes widened and she stared at the toad in such disbelief before letting out a groan. "You _smell_! Stay!" She commanded, causing Sesshomaru to sit beside the still confused and now shivering toad who did not move anymore save for that. When she returned with a bucket of hot soapy water, a washcloth, a towel, and a set of small clothing, she set them all beside the dog house. Pointing in with a firm look, she ordered him to wash.

Kagome turned away from him, allowing the surprised retainer the dignity of a private wash, and the toad did as ordered when his master growled a low warning that if he did not listen to the woman his life would be forfeit. Humming a little song to herself as the toad finished cleaning up; she turned around when he announced that he was finished, oddly adding "my lady" to the end of his sentence. Maybe he had matured over the years? She doubted it, but stranger things had happened! She smiled brightly. "Are you hungry?" Master and retainer simply stared.

The young miko did her best not to laugh at the toad dressed in Souta's old clothes, leading him and Yuki back inside. Her mother came out from the kitchen and nearly dropped the dish she was about to set on the table for dinner. While the woman had accepted _many_ strange things about her daughter's life, she had never had to invite amphibious youkai into her home. The poor thing was so ugly, she couldn't tell if she wanted to scream in disgust or feel sorry for it. As usual, the forgiving woman chose the latter. "Another stray, Kagome?"

Kagome let out a nervous laugh, reaching up to rub at the back of her head. "Mama, this is Jaken. He may look a little funny but he is reliable and honest. He was," she glanced at the kappa curiously "_is?_ Lord Sesshomaru's retainer. You remember Sesshomaru, right? InuYasha's elder brother?" Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes on the elder woman as she let out a heavy sigh and nodded, as if she had heard quite enough about either inu youkai brother. He wondered just how often Kagome had spoken of him. "I found him out in Yuki's dog house." Kagome explained.

Her mother nodded and looked down to Jaken with a polite smile. "Good evening. Any friend of my daughter is a friend of this home. Please make yourself comfortable. Dinner will be ready shortly." She turned away to return to her kitchen, only to pause and turn back. "Will you be requiring a place to stay as well?" She wondered, silently reminding herself that it was a virtue to help those in need, even strange looking kappa youkai. For his part, Jaken looked as if he had no idea what to say to them, merely staring at them in wonder.

Kagome had already left them, going back out to clean up Yuki's dog house and get rid of the foul smelling water and clothes. Sesshomaru sighed and reached out, lightly nudging the toad in the back and giving a low growl that told Jaken it was quite alright. At his master's acceptance, the toad smiled and bowed low to the woman. "Thank you. That would be most welcome. May I assist with anything to lighten your burden?" He offered, falling right into his old ways. It had been so very long since he had been of service to his master.

The woman looked surprised, but agreed and, after he was thoroughly washed up and donned a small blue apron with frills, he happily set about in helping her with her chores. By the time Kagome returned, she noticed that the house was _much_ cleaner. While her mother kept a tight ship, she was slowly losing energy and couldn't keep up with things like she used to. Sitting at the table, Kagome looked to her mother uncertainly. The woman seemed very pleased. "If this Lord Sesshomaru doesn't want to keep him, I'll happily take him off his hands!" The woman joked.

Kagome had not seen her mother – or Jaken – quite this happy… ever. Despite their initial hesitation of the other, they had found a friend in the other, quickly learning that they both appreciated things being "just so". The young woman had to groan and bury her face in her hands, only for a realization to hit her as Yuki came to rest his head in her lap. Looking up at Jaken suddenly, she gasped. "Wait! If you're here, then, does that mean…" The toad stilled and waited. "Does that mean Sesshomaru is coming _here_?!" Kagome looked to her mother, horrified.

Sesshomaru and Jaken exchanged glances, but, oddly wise for his usually loud retainer, the toad said nothing and continued to clean. Kagome, on the other hand, did not handle his silence well. Giving off a squeak, she rose from the table, accidentally smashing her dog's head on the underside and spilling some of the food her mother had already placed there. Racing around, the girl pulled her coat and shoes on, yelling apologies as she darted out into the night. It was the fastest anyone had seen her move since she had broken her leg. Sesshomaru groaned and lay down.

He was _right here_ - running would do her no good now - although, the girl seemed to be an odd mixture of fear and excitement at the concept of his normal self appearing in her life, he wasn't sure if she was actually running away or towards something. When her mother cleaned up the mess Kagome had created, she looked to him with a sorry gaze. "Looks like you may have some competition soon." She said with a small laugh, shaking her head and going back to the kitchen to finish dinner. Sesshomaru looked to Jaken who merely shrugged.

Deciding he couldn't just say here, he finally stood and requested to be let out, following Kagome's scent around the house. It was perfectly silent and very dark now, the beginnings of the night sending the skies into a hazy indigo that was deep as there was little moonlight with the crescent moon hanging above. She stood before the Goshinboku, arms wrapped around her shivering torso as she hugged herself. He began to go to her, only to pause when he heard her speak. "InuYasha? What do I do?" She leaned in, resting her head against the tree. She sighed.

"I don't even know what to say to him. If he comes now, when I'm still not over that silly dream, when I don't really know what is happening with my heart – what will I do? He'd probably laugh in my face. You would, too. How could I be so stupid as to have a crush on someone who barely even spared me a glance?" She stilled and turned to look at him, gaze softening as she slid down to sit at the base of the tree and held her arms open for him to join her. Sesshomaru stood, frozen.

Had she just said what he thought she did? Was she also in love with him as he was with her? If so, why hadn't the curse been broken yet? When Kagome made a sad sound, arms beginning to lower, he realized his mistake and went to her. It didn't matter. He had already decided it didn't matter if the curse was broken. If she loved him, too, even if only in dreams, what more could he hope for? She wrapped her arms around him, burying her cold nose into his warm neck. "I love you, too, Yuki." She whispered.

Sesshomaru's eyes widened so greatly as his heart stilled, the strange vines that she had planted within his heart suddenly grew and with that, the last of the ice that had encased it fell away like snowflakes. Looking up, as if the skies might offer him answers, he only found a single, brilliant star shining down on them. Clinging to that star as if it were a lifeline, he held onto the reality of it as his youki danced with Kagome's purity in the moonlight. She, Kagome Higurashi, loved _him_ – for the first time, Sesshomaru was grateful to be cursed.


	28. Childhood Living is Easy to Do

Prompt: Wild Horses by the Rolling Stones via kayelyn

* * *

**Childhood Living is Easy to Do  
**

The evening went by rather uneventfully after that, Kagome letting out a heaving sigh after her soft tears had melted into his fur. She collected herself and they went indoors, joining the family for dinner and discussing Jaken's arrival with her grandfather and brother. That night, Kagome began to prepare for bed, sitting at her desk and brushing out her hair while Sesshomaru sat on her bed – Jaken had been offered a place to sleep in Souta's room, her mother claiming that Kagome's room was already quite occupied. So here they were, in the lull of the evening, simply living.

Things were so silent, so mundanely normal, that Sesshomaru was beginning to yawn a little as he prepared to sleep – something he hadn't done enough these past few hundred years. Of course, the moment that he found peace, something had to come along and get in the way. Kagome gasped, hand trembling as she looked down at the day-by-day calendar on her desk. Licking her lips, she looked to the door, hairbrush slowly falling into her lap as she spoke in a slightly broken tone. "Mama?" The woman emerged from down the hall, dressed in a sensible long yellow nightgown.

When her mother's eyes fell upon Kagome's hand, resting on the calendar with such reverence, the woman's expression dimmed and she stepped over to her child, wrapping her arms around her. Kagome crumbled into her mother's embrace, fresh tears coming to her eyes. Slowly, mother and daughter peeled away the present day's number to reveal tomorrow's, surrounded by a single large red circle. Sesshomaru watched as the elder woman pet her daughter's head, smoothing the ebony locks as she drew her daughter around the chair and closer into her embrace, swaying from side to side. She began to hum softly.

Kagome began to sob even harder as the melody escaped her mother so easily. Her head rested upon her mother's shoulder and Sesshomaru watched as the women danced in the room slowly, the mother finally singing gently into her trembling daughter's ear: "_Wild horses couldn't drag me away. Wild, Wild horses, We'll ride them someday._" Sesshomaru began to wonder what horses had to do with anything when his musings were interrupted by the most horrible, tragic, broken sound he had ever heard emitting from the young woman he had come to love as she crumpled to the ground in sobs.

Her mother knelt next to her, pulling her into her embrace and continued to sing the song, returning to the beginning. Sesshomaru let out a low growl, attempting to stop the woman as it was obvious the song hurt the girl, but the mother ignored him as her attention was entirely wrapped around her tearful child. When the mother finished the song once more, Kagome finally spoke, soft and broken. "I… I miss him." The mother nodded, placing a kiss on her daughter's forehead. Kagome continued, this time with difficulty. "I'm so sorry, mama! It was my fault! My fault!"

Mrs. Higurashi gave off soothing sounds, shaking her head with a fragile smile as her own tears began to stream down. "My darling child, do you not know why your father repeated those lyrics in his final moments?" Kagome shook her head, mumbling something that sounded as if it might be a response but even Sesshomaru could barely make out a few syllables, let alone intelligent words. As mothers are often able to do, the elder woman understood her daughter's utterance and shook her head, lifting the girl's chin so that their eyes could meet. "Because he loved you, Kagome."

"You were his most precious daughter, his sun and moon, his entire world. He would have thrown himself into a hundred frigid rivers to save you, through any great storm, through any difficulty you might have ever encountered – he would always be there to guard and protect you. That is what fathers do, Kagome, they protect their daughters until they pass them on to a younger, more able man. It wasn't your fault that you fell off the platform, darling. You were just a tiny baby. Merely five years old! How could we, as your parents, blame your tender innocence?"

Kagome's sobs had become much quieter and her mother held her on into the deep of the night, until her daughter passed out from sheer exhaustion. With struggle, but full of determination, the woman lifted her daughter and placed her in her bed, carefully tucking the bedding around her precious daughter before her eyes caught with his. Sesshomaru stared at the woman as a silent understanding passed between them. For the sake of her father's sacrifice, Sesshomaru vowed to protect this girl. Even if his feelings waned or changed, even if his curse remained…. wild horses couldn't drag him away.


	29. Letting the Dog Out

Prompt: Kagome begins to suspect that Yuki could be Sesshomaru via sakemori

* * *

**Letting the Dog Out  
**

Kagome woke the next morning, early, just before dawn, after a fitful night's sleep full of haunting memories. She could still remember the smell of the gravel, the way the tiny rocks painfully gritted into her knees as she fell. She could still remember the screams from the others as they pointed and watched but never did anything as the pig-tailed child lifted up, only to stare in frozen terror as the singular, blaring light of the oncoming train came for her. It had all happened so suddenly. He should have left her to die. It was the only way.

When her father threw himself down onto the tracks, quickly tossing her aside, Kagome could still recall the wide-eyed horror at watching as her father was severed in half before her. He had passed out from the shock and utter pain of it all, hands reaching out for her as if to assure she was safe. Kagome rode with her pregnant mother in the ambulance to the hospital. The doctors said he wouldn't make it. She couldn't remember the reason, her childish mind shutting down at those words. Within hours, her father said his goodbyes, leaving her with those lyrics.

It was not strange that he had chosen music to convey his feelings. He had been a musician and they had been heading towards his group's first live performance - something he insisted his young daughter be present for. It had all been her fault. If she hadn't been born, if she had just been in school, if she hadn't fell, if she had just died in that moment… he would still be here, her mother wouldn't be without her husband, grandfather without his son, brother without his father, they would all be happy and move on. It wasn't fair.

Kagome turned to reach for Yuki's comfort, only for her heart to clench in her chest at the realization that he was not there. Eyes widening, she tried to rationalize with herself. He was probably just outside again. While dressing in warmer clothes to retrieve him, head halfway through a deep green sweater, Kagome gasped as she looked to her clock and realized it was far too early for anyone to be awake. Who could have let him out? Fear gripped her heart as she struggled to pull the sweater on before stumbling out into the hall. "Yuki?" She called.

No answer. Perhaps he didn't hear her? She ignored the nagging voice in the back of her head that told her he _always_ heard her. Slowly stumbling down the stairs, having forgotten her crutches in her room, Kagome made quick and fumbling steps from the end of the stairs, hitting the door harder than she expected. Looking around the darkened living room, Kagome felt her pulse racing. Something was here. Maybe not in this room, but it _was_ here - something heavy and dangerous, something strange and familiar, something that sent goosebumps along her spine – a thick and foreboding youki.

Reaching down, feeling her heart thumping in her chest, Kagome slowly opened the door to look out into the darkness of the early morning twilight, the wind blowing heavily and tossing snow about in odd circular patterns only served to disrupt her vision further. However, she could see them, staring back at her… two pairs of yellow eyes. One set were wide and round, a pale sick yellow that she quickly associated with Jaken. The others, she knew were Yuki – so he had let him out? Feeling a calm come over her, she laughed lightly. "It's too cold, come inside!"

Finally, when Yuki's eyes began to move towards her, Kagome's widened at the realization that they were much higher than they should be. What was going on? Her pulse sped up as the familiar yet terrifying youki crashed down upon her, causing her to gasp for air as she had not felt such a powerful strength in so many years. Tears watered in her eyes from the intensity of her fear combined with the confusion she felt as slowly, the past stepped into the hazy yellow light of the front porch lamp. There, standing as if he belonged, stood Sesshomaru.

Kagome stood, frozen, as she stared at him for a few moments, her cheeks reddening in a thick blush as she realized that she had somehow mistaken Sesshomaru for Yuki. There was no way they could be the same, right? With a broken laugh, she quickly closed the front door, shaking her head as she took a few clumsy steps back before her cast caused her issues and she fell back with a screech. Wincing, she tried to prepare for the painful landing she knew would come, but it never did. Instead, she fell into a warm and strong embrace.

Cracking one eye open, Kagome looked into Sesshomaru's placid gaze, her eyes widening as she let out another surprised squeak as she tried to escape his hold. He did not let her go, instead lifting her as she flailed about in an attempt to flee, walking over to set her down gently beside the kotatsu. Kagome could only stare as the terrible killing perfection from the past, the loathed elder half-brother of InuYasha, the human-hating lord of the west, carefully tucked her into the warm blanket around the table before sitting next to her. Surely, she was going absolutely crazy.

"I've fallen and hit my head, haven't I?" Kagome asked with a little laugh, although her query seemed more as a reassurance to herself than a question. Sesshomaru smirked lightly, causing her to gasp and scoot away from him a little. Just because she'd been making out with him in her dreams didn't mean she was stupid enough to think that was reality. He was not her dream Sesshomaru – he was the real Sesshomaru, the one who could and probably would, easily kill her without any effort on his part. When Sesshomaru growled low at her movements, she froze, staring.

"This is not a delusion, Kagome. I am here." He explained, gesturing to himself as if that in itself put matters to rest. The youkai lord turned to his retainer, and, as if he were at home and not in a strange human's dwelling, began giving out orders. "Jaken, tea. Use the brown tea set, Mrs Higurashi rarely uses it, but Kagome favors it because of the cup sizes. If you break anything you will pay for it with your life." The toad nodded, turning to enter the kitchen and Kagome merely stared at Sesshomaru, eye twitching slightly. How strange.

"How… how did you know that?" Sesshomaru looked to her, a slow smirk coming to his face as he did so. This smirk sent a shiver that was an odd combination of fear, attraction, and … familiarity up her spine. Familiar? How could that be? Her brow furrowed as she gasped and realized that she hadn't found Yuki yet. Reaching up to cover her mouth in shock and worry, she looked to Sesshomaru with a frown and a glare. "You let Yuki out, didn't you?" She was surprised when his eyes widened slightly before he seemed to think about it.

When his smirk melted into a soft smile, Kagome thought she might die. How could someone so dangerous be so beautiful? It was entirely cruel. Sesshomaru was amused by all the changes in her scent. While she knew he was as dangerous as ever, her fear was accented by her arousal that spiked at odd intervals. Both of those were clouded over by a strange curiosity that told him she was beginning to suspect that he and Yuki were one and the same. Deciding to give the poor girl a hint, he responded to her accusation. "You could say that."


	30. With Her

Prompt: Kiss Me Slowly by Parachute & Waking up the Devil by Hinder via windbreaking

* * *

**With Her  
**

Sesshomaru flinched as Kagome's reaction was sudden and forceful, washing over him with such intensity that he quickly hid behind the emotionless mask he had perfected over the years. Anger, fear, and worst of all, a sensation he had never thought he would endure from her – disapproval. When she began to rise, ready to go out and search for her beloved dog, he had to fight down a sigh and stood, reaching out to rest his hand on her shoulder gently and forcing her to sit. "Stay. I will go retrieve him." Jaken arrived with the tea, setting it down.

"Drink your tea. Jaken remain here until I return." The toad gave a bow, not understanding his master's motives but knowing better than to say something against an order. The scared and hurt look she gave him was what he was left with as he returned to the freezing outdoors. Letting out the sigh he had held back earlier, Sesshomaru stared out as he watched the sun slowly rise, lighting the surrounding scenery in shades of yellow and orange. Flexing his fingers as he stepped through the snow, trying to figure out how he would accomplish what he promised her.

As he reached the top of the shrine steps, he closed his eyes and felt the youki beneath his skin. It had been so very long since he had such power at his disposal. Yet, it was this – his dangerous strength, that Kagome feared. He couldn't help the short snort that escaped him at the irony of it all. He was essentially taking her from himself. Yuki's firm grip on her was too much for him to do anything about, despite the enormous power he contained. It would not be this power that would keep her by his side. Wasteful.

All that work he had put towards his strength was now worthless. Still, it couldn't hurt to indulge himself in this. He had missed it a little. The crazy rush as he released the careful constraints on his power, the way he pushed towards something while letting a more instinctual side of him drive them forward. It was as part of him as anything else he had gained from birth. Slowly, he cut out the ties in his mind, releasing the inner youkai and allowing his body to grow to its enormous size before he let out a possessive howl.

Shoving off, he flew over the terrain, momentarily forgetting his task as he felt the overpowering joy at being himself once more. Yet, in that moment, the image of a woman, afraid and lonely, surfaced in his mind and he knew what he had to do. Sniffing the air, he searched the whole of Japan, finally finding his target living peacefully in a small country cottage. Landing outside, he threw one huge paw down, sending a tremor through the tiny home before he returned to his humanoid form; waiting for the one he had come to see to emerge. Laughter.

A cackling sort of laughter, broken by occasional coughs, came from the woman as she slowly emerged from the house and stared him down with her intense brown gaze. She had aged significantly, her once black hair now heavily silvered, her hands now thin and bony. When she smirked at him, he realized that her external appearance was not an adequate representation of her power. "Lord Sesshomaru! How kind of you to pay an old woman a visit! I see you have successfully broken my spell! Congratulations!" His gaze narrowed on her and she leaned forward. "Here to thank me?"

"How did the curse break if the woman did not love me in the same way that I loved her?" He questioned, having wondered that for hours. The old woman sighed and shook her head, turning away from him and slowly wandering up the steps while muttering about stupid old dogs learning new tricks and wondering why it was so impossible to teach them something so simple. He followed her, not caring that it was rude to enter her home without permission. He needed answers. "She is… unhappy… at my presence." He continued, hoping he could get through to her.

The old woman gave out a barking laugh and shook her head again. "Of course she is! _She_ doesn't love you!" He stopped short at that and growled low, ready to argue that she _did_ - she had even said so! The woman put a kettle of water on her stove and looked to him warily. "She may have a fascination of you, she might love what you bring her, but she doesn't love you." Walking over to the youkai, she jabbed at his temple with a bony finger. "Think, you overpowered dolt! Why were you able to change back?"

Sesshomaru stared at her, brow furrowing as he tried to make sense of the old woman's words. It wasn't coming together and he let out a frustrated whimper, eyes darting away from the knowing woman's face as she turned away and went to prepare tea. The witch sighed and her next words were spat out as if this was the most annoying thing she had ever done. "Sit! Stop trying to force the answers! If you don't understand just admit it!" Admit his weakness? Why would he ever do that? He was Sesshomaru! He was the most power- he paused.

Taking a seat at her kitchen table, he stared down at the tiles that lined the top. He had changed. No longer did he seek power. He did not wish to be the strongest if it meant she would no longer be by his side. He wasn't sure what things would end to be, but he knew that he wanted it to be with her. So why was he still clinging to foolish pride? Looking up at the witch, the whistle to the kettle went off and she smiled softly before turning to take up the kettle. "I don't understand."

She nodded at his words as she sat across from him, setting his cup before him. "Of course you don't. You were never taught these things, you wouldn't." Taking a slow sip of her tea, she closed her eyes in silent enjoyment for a few long moments before turning to look at him with a sigh. "Lord Sesshomaru, did you return to your present form when you realized that you loved this girl?" The way she said the question implied she already knew the answer. He shook his head, no, it hadn't been then. "So when was the spell broken?"

His brow furrowed and he took a drink of the tea, wondering. Last night, Kagome had been distraught over the anniversary of her father's death and he had realized that it was now _his_ responsibility to be there for the girl, to do anything for her – regardless if he felt the same for her as he did in that moment. Eyes widening, he looked up to the woman curiously. The witch nodded and explained. "Love is not about what you _receive_, young fool. It is about what you _give_. What you loved at first was what you gained, not her."

Sesshomaru frowned at this, taking another drink of his tea before staring down on it with an odd forlornness. He would never drink tea like this again. Would never sit in a chair, hold a cup, feel the cool sensation of tiles beneath his palm. All of that would be gone for the sake of what he knew to be true. He was willing to give up anything to keep Kagome by his side. Even if it meant he would have to sacrifice everything else he ever wanted. Looking up at the amused witch, he spoke firmly. "Curse me again."

Hours later, he was running through the trees on all fours, pushing his smaller body through the snow as he darted across the Japanese countryside, his destination called to him unlike his previous search. A beacon, Kagome reached out for him with her spiritual powers, calling for her friend to return to her side. It was sunset when he finally rushed up the steps, the pink and orange hues of the sky reflecting off his white coat as he took in a ragged breath and watched as the front door opened, Kagome's tear-stained face breaking out into a happy smile.

Sesshomaru slowly went to her this time, realizing that he now had all the time in the world. He was no longer truly cursed – he had chosen this, had chosen her. When she bent down to wrap her arms around him with a laugh, bending down to place a kiss on his head, he wondered if there would ever come a day when Kagome might love him in the same way that he did her. Would she gladly give her love, even if he could never return it? Only time could tell. Until that day, he would love her. Forever.


	31. Mother Knows Best

Prompt: topsy turvy & verbena via missartemis88

* * *

**Mother Knows Best  
**

Kagome shivered as she felt something unexpected when she held Yuki. Instead of his quiet youki, she was overwhelmed by the potent and amazingly powerful wave of the dangerous aura she had come to associate with none other than Sesshomaru. Trying her best to not show her discomfort, she felt her stomach flip in knots as Yuki nuzzled her midsection in an attempt to comfort her. Deciding she must be tired and that her mind was probably just playing tricks on her, she turned to go back up the stairs, climbing into bed. Staring at her ceiling, she sighed. Impossible.

She had wondered it many times now, particularly after that strange dream, but it had seemed sensible to just chalk it up to her odd dreams. There was no way that Yuki could be Sesshomaru. They were so very different! Yuki was kind, considerate, and loving. Sesshomaru was… well… Sesshomaru. When Yuki climbed into the bed with her, Kagome tried to convince herself that she was just being delusional, but the pressing aura continued to taunt her logic. The fact that Sesshomaru had left in search of Yuki and had not returned with the dog only served to confuse her.

Eyes wide, she turned to look at the peaceful looking dog, a thick lump forming in her chest and rising up within her. Sesshomaru probably hadn't returned with the dog because he was so annoyed with her at being angry at him for letting Yuki out, right? That had to be it. She was just sleep deprived! Her heart sped up as her mind tried to weave possibilities out of what she knew. The sound of the door opening drew her from her thoughts and she turned to see her mother, dressed in a deep indigo kimono. "Still in bed?"

Kagome smiled faintly to her mother and sat up slowly. "I didn't sleep well, I thought I could get some more rest, but I guess sleep just wasn't going to work with me." The young woman said this with a laugh, trying her best not to show her discomfort. Unfortunately for her, both Sesshomaru and her mother could read her like an open book. Something was definitely wrong. Her mother came into the room and sat at the end of the bed, giving her daughter a knowing look. Kagome shifted under the gaze, staring at her mother and then Yuki.

"It doesn't make sense." She began, uncertainty wavering in an out of her voice. Her mother waited, eyes curious but saying nothing, knowing her daughter would open up when she was ready. Kagome's face flushed lightly and she closed her eyes, as if struggling with something she hadn't fully come to terms with. Turning her head, she finally pulled out the words. "Sesshomaru was here last night. I don't know when he arrived, or what happened. All I know is that when I woke, Yuki was gone again and _he_ was _here_! Outside our front door! It was so weird!"

Turning to look at her mother, her eyes were full of emotions that she hadn't fully collected yet, feelings that had been scattered about in her heart that she didn't allow herself to face. "He… he acted like he _knew_ me – and for a moment, for just a few seconds, I was convinced!" She brought her hands up to cup her warming face, her eyes trembling as she took a few deep breaths. "He knew what tea set I preferred and knew that you didn't like using it! I've _always_ loved that tea set! It was… it was…" She stumbled.

"The last set you drank tea with your father from. I remember. You cherish it for those memories; I don't like using it because it may break." Her mother nodded, her brow furrowing. "How could he have known such a thing? Did you tell him about it in the past?" Her daughter shook her head vehemently, her eyes widening even more – if that was humanly possible – as tears welled in her eyes at the way her whole world was turning upside down. Her mother frowned and looked at her daughter. "Then he learned this in the present?" Kagome began laughing.

"You figured that out, too, huh? When I got upset with him for letting Yuki out, he went out to look for him. Mama, it was so strange, Sesshomaru _never_ just does things for other people! Then…" She looked down at the dog that lay next to her, staring at her intently as he listened to Kagome slowly pull the pieces together. "Then, when Yuki returned, Sesshomaru _didn't_ - but he said he _would_." Her mother's eyes widened at that, but Kagome wasn't done yet. "I always knew that Yuki was not a normal dog but last night something changed."

"Now, he feels like Sesshomaru! His youki is _enormous_! It's terrifying and amazing and just…" She threw her arms out in order to try to express herself. "huge! I've thought about it all night, there is only one answer that is possible!" Her mother had a dismayed look on her face and leaned forward to feel her daughter's head for a fever, causing the girl to frown and pull away. "I'm not sick! This isn't some fantasy of mine! Mama, I really think that Yuki _is_ Sesshomaru!" Silence filled the room after the girl announced this. Her mother sighed sadly.

"Kagome, you need to let go of the past. I know that you have harbored this crush on InuYasha's older brother for some time and, perhaps mistakenly, I have done nothing to hinder your fantasy. However, that was _five-hundred years ago_ and you barely even spoke to this Lord Sesshomaru. From what you tell me, he detested humans and was in particular not fond of you due to your association with InuYasha. Now, you want me to believe that your dog is from the past?" She let out another long suffering sigh, looking to her daughter and shaking her head.

"I think you were just having a dream, darling. If you want, I can have your grandfather prepare something with verbena – it's supposed to ward off witches spells. We can have Yuki drink this and if nothing happens will you be satisfied and leave it alone?" Kagome stared at her mother, mouth hanging open in disbelief, shaking her head slowly as she sat back and crossed her arms. Her mother sighed and sat for a few moments, before speaking again. "Kagome, I think it's time you meet the matchmaker. You are only hindering your life by clinging to the past."

Her mother left Kagome, who stared at the open door, eyes wide as her heart heavily thumped in her chest. No. No, she couldn't do this to her! She couldn't make her get married. Not _now_ when she was still so confused! Looking to Yuki, her eyes met his and her lip trembled as she tried to consider just who she might go to for comfort now. If Yuki really _was_ Sesshomaru, which most evidence pointed towards, he would be unlikely to care about her human predicaments. Instead of relying on anyone, she took up her project and furiously knitted.

Sesshomaru watched her, wondering what he could do _now_. This curse was different from the last time. The witch had been clever, asking him the name of the one he loved, and cursing him to remain as he was until Kagome loved him in return. He could not go back until she did so, no matter how many strange herbal teas they made him drink. Watching Kagome knit, tears streaming down her face, he realized how conflicted he had made her through his contradictory behavior. The Sesshomaru she knew in the past had not been kind to her. Not once.

When he had requested to be cursed, he had only been thinking of Kagome's happiness, not concerning himself with the possibility that by becoming a dog once more he might be dooming her to a life of the opposite. How was he supposed to overcome this problem? He had thought that he had more time, that eventually she may come to love him the same as he did her, but now it seemed his time was limited. Kagome's mother was kind but firm – her daughter would be meeting with the matchmaker and be set on the journey towards inevitable marriage.


	32. Am I Asking Too Much?

Prompt: Japanese X-Mas tradition of fried chicken and Christmas cake & "Is Your Love Strong Enough" (The How to Destroy Angels cover) via wallflowerotaku

* * *

**Am I Asking Too Much?  
**

"I'm going out!" Kagome called, not bothering to wait for a response as she went out into the blistering cold, pulling a scarf further around herself. Hojo was waiting for her at the top of the steps, Kagome having called her friends for a much needed escape, and he assisted her down the steps slowly. Sesshomaru watched her leave from the window, wondering if he was truly going to lose her. At the gentle warmth of a hand on his head, he turned to see the sad gaze of her mother. She offered him his dinner, but he didn't eat.

Appetite lost, he laid on the cold floor beneath the window, heart in conflict. He knew that Kagome cared for him as Yuki but was that what he wanted? Did he really want to spend eternity at her side as her loyal pet? He would if that would make her happy, but now she seemed more miserable than when he first arrived. Brow furrowing, he wondered what she was doing now. What she was doing was rather simple. She was sitting between her friends, Yuka and Eri, while Hojo belted out a corny tune into a karaoke machine, having fun.

A little white cake with strawberries atop it and a bucket of fried chicken from KFC sat on the table before them as they held up their glasses and hollered at the boy who was beginning to perform some rather ridiculous dance moves. When Kagome had called, they knew they had to do something for the girl. It had quickly been decided that they would all meet up at the karaoke place and sing their worries away in a pre-Christmas celebration, no dates required! After a few hours of goofing off, Kagome finally told her friends about her mother's plan.

Eri took a bite of her cake and nibbled for a bit, before blushing lightly and nodding. "My parents have decided the same. They say that it is good that I am devoted to my studies, but that I am too old to not be married." She and Kagome gave each other sympathetic looks before they both turned to Yuka, as if expecting her to be in the same predicament. The other girl glanced between her friends and let out a slow chuckle, turning away and biting her lip before turning to look at Hojo, who simply smiled in return.

Yuka rolled her eyes and glared at him for not taking the hit, before looking at her friends and giving a small shrug. "Hojo and I decided to marry when we are finished with college, my parents already agreed to it." Kagome and Eri's eyes widened, giving the two disbelieving looks. Yuka let out a small laugh, a faint blush coming to her face as she elbowed Hojo. The boy was apparently too involved in the fact that she had finally told her friends, instead of going along with all Eri and Ayumi's attempts to set him up with Kagome.

He liked Kagome well enough, and had even harbored thoughts that she might be the one for him, but during her many years of illness and her reclusive state afterwards (due to a delinquent boyfriend, according to Yuka) he and Yuka had become closer. They tried to keep it simple, what with the whole "Kagome and Hojo are destined to be together" nonsense that had been going on with the girls for many years now, but he couldn't deny his attraction to the girl. They were opposites in many ways but he was sure that was what drew them together.

Kagome smiled and held up her cup in a toast. "To Yuka and Hojo! You better invite us to the wedding!" She cheered, finally finding a happy thing to hold onto. The evening dwindled down between the girls sharing wedding plans, the food, and horrible, horrible karaoke of songs that were at least twenty years old. Eri left sometime around nine, and around eleven Yuka and Hojo left together, hand in hand, when Ayumi finally showed up. Kagome shook her head at her friend, holding out the karaoke song selector. "Do you want to pick next?" Ayumi shook her head.

"Actually, can we talk?" Ayumi asked, sitting across from her and crossing her legs as she let out a long sigh, her hair flipping up with her breath. When Kagome set the song selector aside, taking up a bite of cake, her friend let out another heavy sigh. "Kagome, there's something I need to tell you." Her friend started, staring at her intently as Kagome froze, fork hanging out of her mouth as she wondered if Ayumi was also going to suddenly get married unexpectedly. What her friend said next was not what she had _ever_ expected. "I've been lying."

Before Kagome could ask, Ayumi continued. "My name isn't really Ayumi. I'm not twenty-four years old, I don't have any brothers and sisters and I lost my biological parents years ago. I do, however, have a mother who adopted me when I was young. Unfortunately, things got complicated and I had to live in hiding for a long time. That's how I came to be Ayumi and eventually found you again." The fork fell out of Kagome's mouth, clattering to the floor as Shippo released his youki and his illusion, sitting before his mother for the first time in years.

Tears welled in Kagome's eyes as she stared at her adopted son, who had grown quite a bit. Her lower lip quivered. Shippo moved to go to her, but she flinched and shook her head, tears tumbling down with the motion. "Don't!" She cried out, causing him to halt mid-step. Her hand came up to cover her mouth and she let out a broken sob. It was too much to take in. Shippo, her sweet, loving Shippo, had lied to her for years. She had _met_ Ayumi's family! "Your family…?" She asked, unable to process this without taking it slowly.

Shippo relaxed and stepped back, but didn't sit, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Ayumi's mother is another kitsune, her father is that kitsune's human lover. Her little sister is their child. The elder brother was merely in pictures, he never existed. This is how kitsune live now. We are forced to hide in plain sight, and honestly we are fortunate for it. At least we don't have to live like other youkai – or worse, like Sesshomaru." Kagome's head rose up suddenly and her eyes widened as she realized that Shippo had known – had _always_ known – and hadn't told her.

That stung more than the realization that he had lied to her about Ayumi just being his illusion. It was a shock to think he would lie to her, but she could forgive him, eventually. He was still her son, after all. Yet, she wasn't sure how she could forgive him for not telling her about Sesshomaru. Unless… her eyes narrowed and she pointed to the couch at the opposite end of the room before giving him a command. "Sit." Shippo was shocked, but did as told and sat quickly. Kagome stared at him. "What do you know about Sesshomaru?"

Shippo's eyes widened slightly, but he leaned back and crossed his arms casually, giving a shrug. "I know as much as anyone does. No one knows how or why – he probably pissed some witch off – but he was cursed. He has lived the past five hundred years as a common dog. Unwanted by humans, the laughing stock of youkai society… the great and powerful Sesshomaru, lord of the west, nothing more than a mutt – that is, until he met _you_. He used to be distrusting of humans, and with good cause, they had tried to kill him before. That's it."

Kagome sat perfectly still, her heart beating slowly as she tried to take it all in. Sesshomaru really _was_ Yuki – and had been this whole time. Had he been trying to tell her something that day, when the curse was broken for some strange reason? Her brow furrowed. Why _had_ the curse broken? Was it something she did? Looking up at Shippo, she smiled lightly and held her arms open. He hesitated for a few moments before coming to her side and burrowing into her embrace. His nose furrowing as he joked about how she smelled like dog. She laughed.

"You're not really allergic to dogs, are you?" She asked, worried. He shook his head and she gathered from his expression that it was likely something he would have to ask about at another time. They sat in silence for several minutes before the clerk knocked on the door, letting them know that they were closing. Kagome and Shippo – in his Ayumi disguise – left and he walked her to the bottom of the shrine steps. "I can take it from here." She said, before turning to him and giving him a firm hug. "Get home safely and sweet dreams tonight."

"I'm not a kid anymore!" He said with a laugh before waving and heading down the street, leaving Kagome to stare up the steps to her home, illuminated only by a murky streetlamp and the faint moonlight. She began to step forward, only stopping when the headlights to her mother's car shone down upon her. Turning in confusion, she wondered where her mother might have gone. When the car was parked and the woman got out, it was obvious that she was avoiding Kagome's gaze directly, but she smiled and asked her daughter if she had a good time. Strange.

"What's wrong, mama?" Kagome asked, worrying due to her mother's odd behavior. The woman flinched, turning to look at her before shaking her head. Giving a shrug, Kagome went to follow her mother, taking her help as she went up the steps slowly, finally entering the warm house. She stood in the doorway; blinking at the fact that Sesshomaru had not come to greet her. Looking around, she noticed that everyone had gone to sleep. Perhaps he was in bed? "Goodnight, mama." Kagome mumbled, slipping off her shoes and climbing the stairs to her room. The room was perfectly empty.

Pulse racing, Kagome reached out with her spiritual powers, searching for Sesshomaru's youki. All she could find were faint traces of him in an odd winding circle around the house. The youkai in question was gone. Turning suddenly, she nearly ran into her mother. "He's gone!" She cried out, feeling the first chilly grips of fear clutching at her heart. She had been so unkind to him during her confusion! Had he left her, deeming her unworthy? Her mother wrapped her arms around her daughter, making soothing sounds as she pet the girl's hair. Kagome tried to pull away. Unsuccessfully.

"Kagome, you need to let it go. Tomorrow, you're meeting with the matchmaker and she says she has already found several young men who are willing to marry a pretty daughter of a shrine. Traditional families _love_ shrine maidens!" She said as if this conversation was entirely normal. Perhaps, for another girl, in another time, it might have been. For Kagome, it was like the unraveling of a horror story. She couldn't marry some random guy! She just couldn't! It wasn't even that she had a problem with arranged marriage in itself, it was because… because… her heart sped up.

"What did you do with him?" She nearly yelled at her mother, surprising the woman. When her mother stepped back, her eyes going firm, Kagome knew she would get no answers from her and let out an irritated sound before slowly going down the stairs and slipping her shoes on. Her mother tried to stop her, but Kagome was already out the door before the woman could get to her. Shivering, Kagome trudged out into the darkness, unsure where she was headed. How would she find him now? Walk around aimlessly until she felt his youki? It could be worse.

Sniffing back tears, she slowly made her way down the slippery stairs, managing to get most of the way down. On the second to last step, she slipped and fell forward into the snow. A cackle filled the night and Kagome's head shot up, looking around before finding a very old woman standing beneath the streetlight. "Took a bit of a tumble there, did ye?" The woman asked in the way that elderly people tend to ask the obvious simply because it amuses them. Kagome was ready to ask what she wanted, when the woman pointed down the road ahead.

"You can find what you seek if you go that direction." Kagome's eyes widened and she stood, dusting herself off before giving a bow and a thanks. Turning to go the way the woman had pointed (because she really had no other options at the moment) she paused when the woman spoke again. "Is your love strong enough, child? It is below freezing out here! You wouldn't make it very far in your condition. Is he worth the effort you're putting in? Would he want you to risk your life just to find him? What do you think, Kagome Higurashi?"

It was in that moment that Kagome realized who this woman was. Turning to the witch, she bowed once more before licking her frozen lips and responding through chattering teeth. "Thank you. For everything. To answer your questions, I do not honestly know for sure." The wind blew hard, throwing snow, Kagome's hair, and her scarf about and she shivered, drawing her arms up to warm herself. "What I do know is that I did love Yuki – and Yuki _is_ Sesshomaru – so I must love him, too. I would give anything to make sure he is safe. It doesn't matter…"

The witch raised an eyebrow curiously. "It doesn't matter? What doesn't matter, child?" It was clear that the old woman was trying to get Kagome to finally admit something, but Kagome was still putting it all together in her own heart. Saying it out loud was hard enough, because saying it out loud might mean it was true – and she had already lived that nightmare more than once, more than enough for two lifetimes. She wanted to cry, but her tears had dried up, her body telling her that it was far too cold and dehydrated to produce any more.

If she didn't admit this, if she didn't come to terms with this, could she honestly move forward? Did she deserve to be the one to go after him? Closing her eyes, she brought up her mittened hands to cover her face as she tried to let go of the lingering fear within her. It didn't matter. It didn't! How she felt was not dependent on that! Her heart beat, a singular, heavy thump, and she realized that it really _didn't_ matter. Looking back to the amused old witch, she smiled lightly. "It doesn't matter if he loves me back."


	33. Disastrous Regrets

Prompt: No one is perfect, everyone has their secrets, disasters, and regrets. via windbreaking

* * *

**Disastrous Regrets  
**

Sesshomaru could have lived that moment a thousand times and never would he live down the very idea of suddenly being generously deposited on the side of a snowy road in the middle of Japan. Kagome's mother looked torn, as if she didn't like this any more than he did – that was probably true. She wasn't a cruel woman, she couldn't have been to raise such a kind child, but she was doing what she thought she needed to do in order to push her delicate and terrified child from the nest, in the hopes she would fly far away.

Could he really blame her? Could anyone? She had no way of knowing that what Kagome said was true. More damning than that, the mother had been right in the fact that Kagome's infatuation with him had not yet evolved into anything that could be compared to a stable relationship. The girl had a fascination with his deadly form, but she was terrified of all that it brought. With his normal gaze, he could see and smell the fear riding off her in waves. Kagome had every reason to fear him. It had been what he asked for. Fear me.

He had never required of her understanding, affection, even friendliness – all he had ever requested had been for her to tremble at his feet. Five hundred years later, after all he had been through, he could admit he had been a fool, had not understood himself or what he was seeking. For so long he had been bitter, had blamed others for his shortcomings. While it was not entirely accurate to place all the blame at his feet, his decisions, his choices, his actions were not something he would shy away from. He had done those things entirely by himself.

Watching Mrs. Higurashi stand for a few moments, sobbing lightly into her hands, he realized that this was hurting her far more than he had anticipated. Stepping over to her lightly, he nudged at her elbow, causing the woman to look up at him with such a desperate expression. "I am so sorry. I know you do not deserve this, but Kagome _must_ move on! She cannot live her life clinging to the past! If she keeps you, if I continue to allow her to live in her fantasy, she will die old and alone. Please forgive me for this."

The woman stood, brushing herself off and struggling to collect herself before she got into the car, giving him one last sad look before she drove away, leaving him in the darkened countryside. He watched her go, her words echoing in his heart. Was he not doing the same thing as Kagome? Desperately clinging to the past? He had lived these cursed years doing nothing but reliving the past. While he did not appreciate being taken from Kagome, he also understood what her mother was saying. If Kagome could not let go of the past, he would ruin her future.

He stood in the darkness, wondering what he would do with his life now. Part of his mind, the part that was bitter and cynical about life, the part that endured the name calling and the abuse of his father and peers, the part that had watched his poor mother crumble beneath her life's burdens – that part tried to tell him that he should have never allowed this to happen. Wouldn't it have been easier if he had just ignored her? If he hadn't become attached and fallen in love with Kagome? He had been expecting this before, after all.

What exactly had he expected? Some miraculous reunion where she realized that he and her beloved Yuki were the same? Then what? He had honestly never considered it. What would they be? Lovers? Friends? Just because he loved her enough to give that love regardless of what she gave in return, did that mean he wanted to settle down with her and have a litter of hanyou pups? His brow furrowed and he slumped down in the snow beside the road, in no rush to leave. He should have considered these things before but he had never truly understood relationships.

The only examples he ever had were poor ones. His mother and father had come together by an arranged union, both from powerful inu clans. They sought a powerful heir that could rule over their joined lands and eventually all of Japan. His mother had not even met his father until the moment he first bedded her. When his mother had failed to produce that heir, she lost everything – even her mate. His father's needs were not being met, he required power in order to keep power, but that did not seem to be the reason he went to Izayoi.

A hanyou did not equate power. While InuYasha _was_ powerful, it was a fluke due to their father's massive strength. The problem was that the power InuYasha held was unstable, uncontrollable, unwieldy… useless. Even InuYasha hated his lack of control over his youkai blood. No. His father had gone to the human princess for something else, something that had not been explained to Sesshomaru. Now that he was under the same situation, realizing that he had come to love a human girl, the former lover of his brother, and worse _a miko_ - he could understand his father's desires. Love.

Humans thought that youkai were unable to love, that was far from the truth. The problem was that loving a human was reckless. Their fleeting, momentary, mortal lives were so fragile and lost so easily that any youkai loving a human would inevitably end in tragic loss. Inu youkai were among some of the most vulnerable. Their branch of the canine youkai had specifically developed due to the attentions bestowed upon their wild wolf cousins. Over the years, the wolves evolved into the inu, a loyal, attentive breed of youkai that could love and suffer far deeper than the others.

When a wave of discrimination against humans and hanyou spread through youkai culture the inu were hit hardest. Sesshomaru only knew of this by reading scrolls that were normally forbidden for a young pup like him. Having been raised to hate humans, he found the contents of the scrolls to be ludicrous… until he had met Rin. Now, looking back, it all made sense. His father was merely following instinct. He couldn't love his mother (although Sesshomaru was still bitter about that) so his father went to find one that he could love and could love him in return. Izayoi.

Sesshomaru had always hated her, although now he supposed he should be grateful. He had learned from her failed relationship with his father as well. He had learned that passion was not everything and that blindly following such things could lead to death… or a fate worse than it. Watching his father clumsily attempt to prove his love for the human had been painful and had only further solidified the ice around his young heart. When he saw the results of InuYasha's infatuation with a human woman, which only served to confirm what Sesshomaru had been taught. He remained prejudiced.

Despite their origins, inu youkai and humans should not mix. That was what he told himself, like a mantra, trying to rid himself of any weaknesses. Sentimentality was weakness. Attachment was weakness. Humans, both sentimental and attached to the most common things, were weak. Above all that, Sesshomaru had convinced himself that none of this was as damning as love. Love was the ultimate weakness. His mother had loved his father, his father had loved the human princess, his brother had loved the miko… it all ended the same. Such a union could never work. He had seen it all.

Yet, he learned entirely the opposite of the truth. Instead of seeing his mother's quiet strength in remaining by her love's side, despite knowing that he did not return her affections, he saw fragility. Instead of seeing his father's endurance in saving his love's life, despite extreme injuries that even the strongest of youkai would not return to battle with, he saw foolish passion. Instead of a young boy in love being betrayed by another to hurt his lover, Sesshomaru saw a pathetic show of weakness. Faced with that moment in his own life, he could not call it weak.

It did not matter that Kagome obviously did not love him. He understood her reasons for that. He had encouraged her fear in him and had done nothing to explain to her that he and Yuki were the same, only thinking of the immediate moment and not for the future. No, none of that mattered. What he learned from this was that love was not weakness. Love was strength. Not a strength given by the other, but a strength one gives themselves. With that in mind, he knew he could endure anything to assure Kagome's happiness. Even walking away. Painful.

The idea of that was so very painful, more difficult than the shocking cold he was enduring out here in the middle of the wood. Gritting his teeth, he told himself that he would endure this. He could handle it. He could be strong. It did not matter that he had just been cast out by a family that he had, for a few seconds, foolishly thought to claim as his own. It did not matter that the idiotic human girl that he had given his heart to did not return his feelings. None of it mattered. He would endure.

The witch had explained to him that love was not about what was received, but what was given. If that was the case, he would give Kagome her freedom to move on from the painful past that he reminded her of and find a new happiness in the future. Letting out a heavy sigh, he looked up into the dark evening sky, watching as snow continued to pile around him, burying him in the pure white substance. Slowly closing his eyes, he swore he would only sleep a little while and then he would get up… but go where? Nowhere.

When he woke with a start at the roaring sound of a vehicle passing on the road, sending a wet slosh of snow and ice upon him, he could not tell how long had passed. It could have been minutes or it could have been hours – for all he knew, it could have been days. Standing, he stretched, only to pause, wide eyed and stare up at his hands. Hands. He had _hands. _Sesshomaru had never been so very grateful for the appendages in his life. Did this mean that Kagome had come to love him as well? He wondered.

Releasing his youki, he called forth the cloud he rode on, far too tired to run the distance, and quickly made his way towards her, coming upon her standing alone in the barely lit driveway to the shrine she called home. She was not facing him, but she seemed to sense him as she turned, her face bright in relief – only for her eyes to widen in shock as she squeaked and covered her eyes when he landed before her. "Sess… Sess… Sesshomaru!" She cried out, her voice straining. He raised an eyebrow at her sudden strange behavior. "You're naked!"


	34. Wishes and Desires

Prompt: stir via WRITE NIGHT

* * *

**Wishes and Desires  
**

Kagome's mother came down the steps with a blanket meant for Kagome, only for her eyes to widen at the nude male standing a few yards from her daughter. "What is going on here?" She wondered. Her daughter turned to her, a mortified expression on the young woman's face, gaping like a fish as she tried to explain to her mother that _this_ was their family dog. Instead of forming words, however, the girl only managed to emit a series of unintelligible syllables. Her mother sighed and came down the steps, bringing the blanket to the naked man. "Another stray?"

The young woman could only nod, unable to form any coherent words as she once again hid her embarrassment behind her hands. Sesshomaru took the blanket and wrapped it around himself, looking to Mrs. Higurashi with a firm gaze. "This Sesshomaru was unable to say this earlier; however, we forgive you for putting your daughter's future ahead of our comfort and happiness. It was understandable, if not a little sudden." The woman's eyes widened and she gasped, taking a step back from him, looking to Kagome as if the girl could formulate any answers. Kagome herself was still emotionally reeling.

Her heart had been stirred up, drawn into this unusual tizzy of thoughts and feelings as she realized that it did not matter that Sesshomaru loved her in return. Her childish crush had been the seed that she had slowly cultivated into something real and living within her, even if he did not have the same. She could not turn him away just because he was cursed to be a dog and now, even though her logic told her that he was still as dangerous as ever, her heart danced in a strange and unexpected beat that spoke his name.

Sesshomaru noted that neither female seemed to have the capacity within them to speak. Clearing his throat, he gestured to the stairs. "Perhaps, it would be better to discuss this indoors? You will both freeze to death if we remain out here." Kagome choked down a sound that came out like a garbled laugh mixed with a sob, nodding before she darted up the steps, far too quick and limber for someone that had a cast on her still healing leg. Her mother recovered much faster and gave a nod, following her daughter and doing her best not to fall.

When they were seated in the warmth of the living room, each given some tea, Sesshomaru parted from them for a short while, retreating somewhere upstairs only to return in a heavy kimono of deep green with embroidered with maple leaves in hues of red and gold. They sat in silence, sipping their tea as the women warmed up and became more comfortable at his presence, each for different reasons. Kagome glanced to her mother, a faint smile on her face. "Mother, may I introduce Lord Sesshomaru?" Her mother glanced at the girl before she turned to Sesshomaru, quite concerned.

Sesshomaru bowed his head to her, shocking both women and eliciting a gasp from Kagome as her heart skipped a beat. When he spoke, both women hung on every baritone note, as her mother soon realized _why_ her daughter had been so enamored with him. If InuYasha was a rough gem, hidden beneath layers of lumpy stone that required so much work to get a hint of sparkle, his elder sibling was a finely crafted and carefully constructed jewel, glittering with just a glance. "We would like to express our gratitude at your generous hospitality all this time. Thank you."

Kagome let out a whimper, her face heating up with her imminent blush as her mother gave her a sad look, shaking her head at her daughter's antics. Then again, the mother did not understand _why _Kagome was so shocked at his behavior. These sorts of polite words were rarities from the Sesshomaru that she had known, each one sending the poor girl's heart aflutter. Her mother looked back at Sesshomaru, deciding it was time to get down to business. "Are you confirming that you were the dog, Yuki, until this point?" Sesshomaru looked to her and gave a nod.

Taking a slow and deep breath, she frowned slightly, her mind worried. This… was far worse than a dog. How would she get her daughter to come back to reality _now_? It would be better to clear the air and assure his motives before the child completely lost her head. "Will you be returning to that form again?" He shook his head to the negative, explaining that it was a curse and that the curse had been broken by her daughter. That was nice and all, but there was one major problem with all this. "So do you love Kagome?"

The young woman in question gasped, ready to tell her mother not to be silly, there was no way that Sesshomaru could love _her_. He surprised her by responding quickly and with certainty. "Yes." That single word caused her eyes to widen and Kagome to turn to look at him in shock, mouthing a simple question of "what?!" unable to actually vocalize her thoughts as her whole world spun around her, sending her heart beating so quickly that she began to find it hard to breathe. When his hand came out to rest on hers, warmth seeping through, she knew.

She must be going absolutely crazy. There was no way that he could have said that. Looking to him as he held her hand, her heart skipped a beat as her gaze met with his. Her mother, however, was not entirely convinced. "Do you love her? What makes you say that?" Mrs Higurashi wanted to know for sure that she wasn't just allowing her daughter's future to be haphazardly decided without any sort of motherly influence. The girl no longer had a father to see that she was safe within the arms of a man, it was now her responsibility.

When Sesshomaru looked to her, his eyes shining with some strange emotional mixture, Mrs Higurashi did her best not to be intimidated and, for her part, did rather well in this. Yet, when he spoke gently, with words that were not filled with force or malice, but filled with an extreme pain and understanding, she realized the truth in his commitment to her daughter. "This Sesshomaru knows that we have done things in the past which have been less than kind. That is not now. We have… _changed_… after meeting your daughter. It is our wish to give her anything."

Her mother's eyes narrowed at this. "That is sweet and all, but that is not enough for a stable relationship. _Wishes and desires_ do not put food on the table or a roof over the head. Surely, even youkai can understand the practical side of life. While I can agree that you likely do love my daughter, it will be _me_ that you will have to prove yourself to if you wish to have her as a bride. That _is_ your intention, Lord Sesshomaru, is it not? Otherwise, I think we can agree it is better that you release her."

Release her? Did she mean her hand or… no… she meant entirely. And she was right. It would be wrong to string Kagome along and ruin her chances of having a life as a productive woman if all he ever did was love her and not do anything else for her. Love, he was learning quickly and painfully, was not enough. Did he want Kagome as his bride? Did he _deserve_ her as his bride? He had nothing. A few sets of clothing, a couple old youkai swords, a half-empty and nearly decrepit floating castle. He was a homeless relic.

He began to pull his hand away from Kagome's, only for hers to come together, enveloping his larger one between her smaller ones. Looking up at her, she gave him a gentle smile filled with hope and longing and suddenly he realized the monumental task before him. For her, he would have to truly give up everything – even everything he knew that made him who he was, and redefine himself into someone that could bring to her all that she needed and desired. For a few moments, sitting there in the Higurashi living room, Sesshomaru, great youkai lord, was nervous.

What could he give this woman, the one he had come to adore, who brought the sun to his world and made him see the value in himself? Nothing more than himself, and himself alone – a hand to hold when her heart was lonely, a warm embrace when the nights were cold, a few words in response to her many comments, and above all, his heart, that beat faster every moment he looked at her. What could he give her? Absolutely nothing practical in this world, but oh could he give her everything he had. Would his love be enough?


	35. Mortality

Prompt: Dreams of prosperity via WiccanMethuselah

* * *

**Mortality  
**

Kagome watched as Sesshomaru sat with his mother, brow furrowed as he tried to explain what marketable skills he had. Her mother had brought out a pen and paper, trying to write out a resume of sorts, so they could find the youkai a job, but as it was he had very limited skills and no formal education as far as humans were concerned. So far, her mother noted that he had strong athletic skills, a good grasp of older and formal Japanese (but almost no comprehension of modern Japanese, a huge barrier), and had an eye for authentic antiques.

The elder woman sighed and shook her head. "This is problematic. How will you ever provide for my daughter if you cannot even obtain a basic job? You can't even get a job as a cashier in a convenience store at this rate, as you have never had to use or exchange currency!" The woman was trying her best to find _something_ as even she was holding a smidgen of hope for her daughter with this handsome stranger. He was quite polite and the gentle way he responded to Kagome warmed the woman to him greatly. He was just homeless.

How could she face her husband at the altar in the morning and explain she had given Kagome away to a homeless man just because he was good looking and loved their daughter more than the sun and moon? No, no, that couldn't happen! She couldn't promise him a position at the shrine, either as that would automatically go to Souta when he came of age – it wasn't hers to give. Worse, how could a youkai operate a Shinto shrine? The very idea was silly in itself. Would she have to crush Kagome's fragile heart again? She really hated this.

Kagome returned with a tray of fresh tea, giving a sigh at the despondent looks on Sesshomaru and her mother's faces. Setting the tray down sharply, causing the teapot to jump slightly and startling both of them, Kagome crossed her arms and looked down on them with a victorious glint in her eyes. "Relax. I've got this!" She announced with certainty. When her mother gave her a confused expression, Kagome shrugged. "It's the twenty-first century! Who says Sesshomaru has to get a job and support _me_? Why can't I get a job and support _him_?" She smirked and sat back.

Sesshomaru and Mrs Higurashi exchanged a look before he turned back to Kagome and gave a low possessive growl. At first, the idea of Kagome providing for him unsettled him greatly. Felines behaved that way but the inu rarely did this. If she were to do everything that would be giving way to her as alpha completely, this still rubbed his instincts the wrong way. Still, despite his instincts, there was only one thing that mattered to him in this decision. "Would that make you happy?" Kagome looked to him, as if she was still digesting that he actually cared.

Her expression became gentle and she smiled lightly, giving a heavy sigh and a nod. "I think it would. I have stood still for so long, living in the past. Perhaps, it is time that I live in the future a little. Besides…" Her eyes took on a faraway look and she glanced away from him, looking to her mother briefly before tears welled in her sapphire depths. "Besides…" She managed to choke out as her lower lip trembled. "You can take care of me when I am old and gray. It's a fair trade, right?" Sesshomaru understood her concern.

She was human. She would not live even a third as long as he had already lived, let alone grow old with him. A spark of realization hit him as he finally realized what he could do with himself while Kagome was busy working and providing a living for them. He would find a way to save her, to keep her by his side as long as he could. Otherwise, he would find a way to be rid of his own powers – to become human for the sake of spending every last moment with Kagome. Surprisingly, he was not afraid.

He _would_ find a way to keep her by his side now that he had found her, or he would find a way to die trying. What would be the use of living without her the many long years of his life? He had already seen the tragic results of love lost in his mother's mental instability. No. Watching her now as she boasted to her mother at how she could become rich and famous and provide for them all, her mother laughing at her daughter's sudden vitality, he realized he could not allow that to happen. He needed her.


	36. Show and Tell

Prompt: secret & shadow via WRITE NIGHT

* * *

**Show and Tell  
**

When her mother had finally left them alone, going about her own job and leaving Kagome and Sesshomaru to spend time together, the silence that stretched between them was nearly palpable as each thought carefully over how their roles had switched. She was now the one with all the power, with all the understanding, with all the knowledge – and he was the one with the seemingly impossible quest that would end with his life completely altered. When Kagome finally spoke, her words were quiet and curious, if not a bit afraid. "Are we really doing this? Do you want this?"

His eyes met hers. He saw the doubts shining in her eyes. He couldn't blame her. This had all happened so suddenly, so unexpectedly, for both of them. One moment, they were enemies, if not loose allies – merely shadows of the past hovering over their lives. Each was a balm as much as a bane for the other, saving each other and yet hindering the other by keeping their hearts and minds on the past. Now, after so long, they were both looking towards a future that neither had considered. It was amazingly expansive, impossibly formidable – they could do _anything_.

That alone was nearly terrifying. What were they? He had been a powerful youkai lord, formidable to all his foes, and she had been the Shikon miko, savior of the world. Yet, none of that meant anything anymore. Now they were nothing more than Sesshomaru and Kagome – two people who happened to love each other enough to do anything to stay with the other… and that was all they knew. He realized that while he had learned so many things about her, had seen her when she was strong and weak, brave and cowardly, giving and taking… he wanted more.

Realizing that he had given her the wrong impression with his silence, he reached out across the kotatsu, taking up a small lock of her wavy ebony hair and rubbing it between his fingertips. "I want to know your secrets." She gasped, eyes widening as she stared at him, the few remaining tears that had welled in her eyes from her earlier emotions dripping out. His brow furrowed and he reached out to wipe at the tears, smearing them into her smooth skin. He knew he was being sudden, knew that she likely couldn't take it all in. Overpowering love.

That was what they suffered, yet he had the benefit of being able to come to terms with it all during his time as her pet. She had only had a few hours to accept that he loved her, and he wondered if she might never accept it. A light frown marred his features as he thought back to all he had seen and heard of love, forgetting what he knew from his past and only thinking of his time here in the Higurashi household. His mind flickered back to the movie he had watched of the bitter old man.

The man had learned from his past faults, from his past tragedies, from his present mistakes, so that he could have a happy future – and he the thing he had learned the most was to be generous and have a giving heart, to express what he felt. Sesshomaru had been bitter himself at the time, thinking the movie ridiculous, but now… now he could see the wisdom hidden between the happily spoken phrases and the carefully constructed behaviors. He needed to _show_ Kagome that he loved her. Hopefully, in return, her love would grow. Leaning forward, he gently kissed her.


	37. Words Unspoken

Prompt: Tis better to give than receive via 1CarinoInu

* * *

**Words Unspoken  
**

Kagome gasped against his lips, pulling them apart for a moment, only to see the content expression on his face, not the emptiness he usually showed, and her heart melted in a slowly seeping puddle of warmth that spread through her as she threw caution to the wind and leaned in to kiss him back. These weren't the amazing, toe-curling kisses of her fantasies, but soft, gentle, exploring kisses as they both discovered the other without the use of words. Eyes fluttering closed, Kagome tried to will her heart to beat, but it seemed unable to, going far too slow.

Surely, if this was the way Sesshomaru's kisses really were, she would die a slow but lovely death. When the kiss began to intensify, a low rumbling growl escaping him and tickling against her lips, sending a tremble up her spine, Kagome gasped once more, this time her breath escaping her as his hands tangled within her hair. He wrapped his hands around the back of her head, pulling her closer to him and she, unable to do otherwise, willingly complied. As the warmth spread through her body, Kagome gradually crawled over towards him, coming as he commanded, completely captivated.

Several moments later, when the kiss finally broke and Kagome was gasping for breath, her chest rising and falling intensely, she suddenly realized that she was sitting in his lap. Eyes widening, she moved to leave, but he wrapped his arms around her and leaned in, nuzzling at her neck as he inhaled her sent audibly before she felt his hot breath tickling at her ear, his words heavy from his own gasping breaths. "Stay." A faint smile cracked on her face and she slowly brought her arms up to wrap around him, resting her head against his chest obediently.

He didn't need to explain the unspoken part of that command. She could _feel_ it, dancing beneath her skin, darting between every nerve that he had woken with this strange and amazing sparkling sensation that began with a simple kiss. She could _taste_ it, upon her lips, within her mouth, inside her abdomen as the amazingly comforting sensation of that pooling warmth solidified within her, becoming something real and tangible. She could _hear_ it, within the steady rhythmic beating of their hearts, playing a song only they could know. No additional words were necessary. The command remained silent. _Stay forever_.


	38. Move Forward

Prompt: snip via WRITE NIGHT

* * *

**Move Forward  
**

Kagome stood in the bathroom, trying to ignore the ever-hovering form of Sesshomaru who watched with interest, and perhaps trepidation, as she brought the scissors up to snip the ends of her hair off. She hadn't bothered with maintaining appearances all these months and her hair had become rather wild, split ends going crazy. Now that she had a job in an office, thanks to Yuka's father, she needed to look her best. When another lock of hair fell to the floor, followed by a sharp whine, Kagome rolled her eyes and turned to look at him. "It'll grow back."

"It is unnatural." He declared, arms crossing as he glared at the offending scissors as she laughed and cut more off. Deciding to tease him a little, she brought them up closer to her chin, taunting that she would cut off more than a couple inches. When his eyes widened and he looked to take a step forward, Kagome shook her head and pulled them away, letting out a sigh before turning to close the door in his face. Sesshomaru frowned, but remained where he was, hovering just beyond the door, listening with growing worries at each cut. Not normal.

It wasn't right to cut off parts of herself. She said it was a human grooming practice, but that thought just irritated him more. Who did she have to impress if not him? The only one who should have any sway on her grooming habits was him, and perhaps her mother. So why was she trying so hard to look nice for others? It unsettled him. Earlier, her mother had brought several outfits, most of which brought back memories of a time when he had first seen such short and revealing clothing on her. Who was she trying to impress?

His heart had begun to beat in an unusual rhythm as Kagome and her mother discussed things like pencil skirts and the problems of pantyhose with a cast on. The girl even went so far as to ask her mother if there was a chance they could remove the cast early, sending him into an angry rage where he told her that her health was more important than her appearance and she was _not_ removing that cast until a physician said she could. Both mother and daughter stared at him for a few surprised moments before Mrs Higurashi calmly agreed.

Sesshomaru let out a low growl when he heard the shower turn on. He was getting restless. Kagome had begun to move forward, but it felt as if it was _without_ him. He knew he had an important task, but he couldn't seem to ignore Kagome long enough to pull himself together and accomplish it. Grinding his teeth together in irritation, he decided he was behaving like a fool and stomped down the stairs, pausing to stare out the window at the snow covered landscape. "Where does one go to find information in this time?" He wondered aloud, brow furrowing.

"The library… or the internet." Came Souta's response and Sesshomaru blinked, turning to realize that the boy was seated at the table, surrounded by books. They had not really had a discussion since he returned in his present form. In fact, when Mrs Higurashi told her father and son that their dog came back as a youkai lord neither had seemed pleased – the grandfather had scowled and mumbled something about their family being cursed whereas the boy had gone silent. If Sesshomaru didn't know any better, he would say the child was sad. Souta had become quite attached to Yuki.

Realizing his mistake, Sesshomaru inwardly scolded himself for being such a single-minded idiot. Kagome _was_ important, but she was not the only member of this home, of this family. He owed a great deal to all of them, even her reluctant grandfather. Souta had come to rely on Yuki as a companion, but he did not really know Sesshomaru the youkai. He would have to change that. Looking to the boy, he knew just what a young man like this needed. "Would you assist this Sesshomaru in a task that is a matter of life and death? We need information."

Souta paused and looked at him for a few moments, eyes lighting up a few seconds later. "I'll get my coat!" The boy closed the books, stuffing them and his papers haphazardly into a knapsack before rushing around the table and tugging on his coat. "We'll probably need a few things!" He said aloud, although it was clear he was mentally preparing. Gathering pencils and paper, Souta shoved them in between his books before taking it all up and rushing over to slip his shoes on. "Mom! We're going to the library!" Sesshomaru smirked and followed the boy. Much better.

As they walked through the snow, Souta finally asked what was so important. "Your sister. She is mortal." This led to other questions. How did youkai die? (Any number of ways, but usually in battle – which is no longer an issue, was the response.) Did youkai get ill? (Rarely, but yes, they would need to research that as well, just to be prepared. Souta had beamed at having brought up something important.) How long could they live? (Centuries. His mother was reaching her first millennia, in fact.) How old was Sesshomaru? "Somewhere just over seven hundred years, more or less."

"Wow! So that means you're as old as my…" Souta paused and did some mental calculations as they waited at the bus stop. "Great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather!" Both males paused as they realized just how monumental the task before them was. Kagome might be lucky to live to see one hundred years, but not i_seven_/i and surely not more! Feeling the urgency, Souta nodded and took a step onto the bus as it appeared, turning to the frozen youkai. With a smile, he held out his hand. "This is a bus – it's a quick form of mass transportation to get around." Hesitation.

Sesshomaru didn't like the smells from inside the bus, as Souta called it, and he disliked the idea of riding in any more human contraptions than he had to, but… if this was the only way to reach the library and get the information he needed to keep Kagome by his side he would have to endure it. Taking a deep breath, he took Souta's hand, less for comfort and more for practical reasons as he honestly had no idea where he was going or what he was doing. Sesshomaru took his first tentative step forward and into the future.


	39. Doubt

Prompt: She remembers the day InuYasha came up to her announcing that he was in love with Rin via sakemori

* * *

**Doubt  
**

Kagome stood beneath the warm water, doing her best to ignore the looming youki that was pressuring her to return to its master's side. When Sesshomaru retreated she let out a sigh of relief, working a rich lather of soap over her hair before rinsing it out. Her mind wandered to all that had happened, to how very surreal it all seemed. She would be hard pressed to deny that Sesshomaru cared for her. He was nearly smothering in his attentions and she soon realized the sad truth. He was living _for_ her, not just with her. How very strange.

The very idea made her more than a little nervous. Sesshomaru was in love with her? Since _when_? Letting out a groan, she shut off the water and went over to take up her towel, carefully drying herself off before sitting on the stool in the room with a sigh. Patting down the trash bag she had wrapped around her cast, she undid the ties around it and pulled it off. Tugging on her robe, she reached out with her powers in search of Sesshomaru, only to let out a relieved breath when he wasn't there. How horrible was that?

Frowning, Kagome made her way into her bedroom, sliding open her underwear drawer only to widen her eyes as she remembered when Sesshomaru tore her garments to shreds. Letting out an annoyed sound, she vowed to get back at him for that later before pulling on a pair of underwear. Flopping onto her bed with a heavy breath, Kagome stared up at the ceiling as she tried to think of everything logically, but her brain just wouldn't allow her to do that. None of this made any sense. Wasn't she just a worthless aside? Always a friend, never a lover?

Even Hojo had never really wanted her! Kagome's heart clenched as she remembered the moment when InuYasha came to her, telling her he had something important to tell her. Her foolish mind had cheered in glee, thinking now was the moment, now was _her_ time, as she thought that he was going to finally propose. Instead, he told her that he did love her, but not as a bride. He did not want her as a lover, he just wanted her as a friend… oh, and could she kindly be so generous as to bless his union with Rin? Jerk.

Now that it was her time, now that she had someone who seemed to genuinely want her, Kagome felt this strange sense of trepidation creeping up on her. What if he changed his mind? What if he was just confused? What if he grew bored of her or if she wasn't attractive enough or if she wasn't capable in bed – surely, living so long, he had bedded _many_ females who were far more capable than a twenty-six year old virgin. Her warm tears streamed down her face as she realized that it was not Sesshomaru's love which terrified her. Rejection.

That word had haunted her for so long, had been such an integral part of her relationships, that she was finding it hard to let go and trust. She wanted to believe in him, wanted to think that this magical and surprising moment was her reality from now until her death, that this was just the _beginning_ - but when she really thought about it, all she could think of was the possibility of the end. What would she do if he left her? Kagome sighed and sat up, wiping at the back of her face angrily. This was stupid.

She was a modern girl! She just wouldn't put all her eggs in one basket, right? She would hold onto that realization that she had to be self-sufficient, had to rely on no one but her, and that would carry her through this. As long as she kept herself together and didn't lose her head to all this, she could be happy with him, even if it was momentary. If he really did stick around, well then she would just be pleasantly surprised, right? Letting out an annoyed sound, Kagome threw herself back onto the bed. This was all wrong.

It was wrong and Kagome _knew it_. If she couldn't trust him from the beginning, they were doomed to failure. Letting out a slow breath, Kagome thought back to when he had kissed her. It was certainly like nothing she had ever felt before, but it hadn't been what she expected. Instead of knocking her off her feet and carrying her away in a whirlwind of romance, he had gently and softly expressed his love for her. Brow furrowing, she gave off an annoyed grumble. Why couldn't he just be more romantic? Was that really asking for too much? Maybe.


	40. Ever Present

Prompt: Sesshomaru's disguise via windbreaking (Have a safe flight!)

* * *

**Ever Present  
**

Kagome sat in her cubicle trying to ignore the chatter and squeals from the other office girls as a paper cup of water was set next to her keyboard. Closing her eyes tightly, she willed herself not to scream and turned to give Sesshomaru a bright smile. "Thank you, Sesshomaru. You can go home now." She insisted, trying her best to not respond to the slight tightening of his gaze in what she knew was a sign of defiance from him. He had insisted on going with her to work, stating that she was unable to get around quickly. Annoying.

She tried her best not to think of it that way. At first, it had been _sweet_ that he wanted to spend every waking moment with her. However, Kagome had quickly learned that Sesshomaru was rather popular with the other women in her office. In order to help her with her job and her relations with her co-workers, he had agreed to help with _every_ task the women had given him. Essentially, he had become a free errand boy that they all looked at as eye candy. She tried to reason with him, telling him to just go home. Ouch.

The look he had given her at that had hurt so badly. He looked like a whipped puppy that had accidentally shredded the paper while trying to bring it in. In the end, she hadn't had the heart to tell him to just leave and let her work in peace. So he remained, obnoxiously following her everywhere, never letting her carry anything, and bringing her anything she might ever require. It was kind of him, if not a little weird being that it was, well… _him_, but she understood that he just wanted to feel useful. It was only natural.

Kagome had to take a slow breath when one of the elder women came up and gave him some papers to take to the next floor up. Sesshomaru was ready to do as requested, not even taking heed of how the woman was clearly trying to flirt with him, when Kagome finally had enough. Slamming her keyboard tray inward, she stood and turned to glare at the woman. "No! He can't take that upstairs for you! He's mine! You look like you could use the exercise anyway! Take it yourself!" The woman's eyes widened and Kagome sighed, gathering her things.

Her job was now forfeit. She knew this. Trying not to glare at anyone she passed, especially not Sesshomaru, she angrily took his hand and pulled him along as she stormed out of the office. When she released his hand to smash the button for the elevator, she let out a heavy sigh. "What will I do now?" She whined slightly, reaching up to rub at her forehead, only to freeze when she saw the way Sesshomaru stared at her. Feeling nervous under his gaze, she shifted and looked away, only to look back at him with a pout. "What?"

They stepped onto the elevator, which was blessedly empty. After she pressed the button for the ground floor, he finally spoke. "You just exacted dominance for this Sesshomaru." Kagome's eyes widened and she turned, seeing the slow hint of a smile creeping onto his face. In that moment her anger dissipated as she realized that she had made him _happy_, even if she had just lost a very good job. She smiled, too, reaching out to take his hand in her hers once more. He was _hers_ and no one else could have him. No matter how much they paid.

"Come on, let's get you home and out of this ridiculous outfit. I don't know what you _or_ mama were thinking in having you wear this. It just makes you stand out more!" She was referencing his "disguise" that her mother had come up with when he had expressed a desire to go with Kagome in order to help her with her work. They knew he couldn't just walk around as he normally did, so her mother went shopping and brought back some clothes for him. After spending an hour on makeup to hide his markings he dressed. Kagome disapproved.

Her mother said he looked like a human. Granted, a rather exotic one, but less youkai and more human – a hat atop his head to help hide the point of his ears, colored contacts to darken his amber hues, a red button-up, a pair of black slacks all finished off with a set of black shoes. Mrs Higurashi had said he was quite handsome, but her daughter had done nothing but insist he didn't need to go with her. Neither realized that the young woman wasn't unhappy that he wanted to be with her. She loved him as he was.


	41. All of You

Prompt: Kagome finds Sesshomaru in his original form via sakemori

* * *

**All of You  
**

He sat on her bed, watching her as she brought the washcloth up and scrubbed at his face, removing the thick makeup her mother had applied that morning. It took several minutes, but once she was finished she stared down on him with a small smile. "Take those contacts out, please." She left him there, going to dump out the water from the bowl she had used to wash his face and he did as she requested, brow furrowing as to why she was so insistent that he not use the "disguise". Did it really make him stand out more?

When she came back to the room she looked at him with a sigh of relief. "There you are." He frowned slightly. He hadn't gone anywhere. Sensing his confusion, she gave a little laugh and went over to run her fingertips along his markings. "Don't ever change who you are, Sesshomaru. Promise me that." He looked up at her, eyes widening slightly as a thickness formed in his throat. Could he make such a promise? What if he couldn't find a way to extend her life, but could become human? Wouldn't that be changing who he was? She sighed sadly.

"Sesshomaru, have you ever thought about why I was able to break the curse? I love you for who you are. _All_ of you!" Her eyes took on a faraway look as if she was remembering something amazing, something she had held within her heart for a long time. "I want you to be dangerous, daring, strong, determined, commanding, powerful, and occasionally kind." Looking to him, her eyes shone with some intense emotion that he quickly realized was the depth of her love for him. "I want you to be _you_. No one else. Stay yourself. The one I love."

He took a slow breath. "Kagome…" Licking his lips, he reached out for her hand out of instinct, running his fingers along the smooth skin of her palm in a soothing motion. Swallowing down the depth of his emotions, he looked to her once more. Now was not the time to hide behind who he used to be. He had to be honest with her. "This promise you request… it cannot be made." Her eyes widened and she frowned, ready to argue, but he shook his head and continued. "There is a reason. I do not know who I am."

Kagome made a sound, as if to speak, and he sighed, cutting her off. "Who is Sesshomaru? A youkai relic of the past? A lord of the west which is now occupied by humans? A powerful and dangerous inu who has no reason to fight? None of these will bring what I seek. I have nothing and nowhere to call home, other than this small shrine, your family, and you. Do not make me give you promises I cannot keep. At this moment, all that defines me is that I love you. Don't ask me to give that up, Kagome."

The young woman stood, hands going to her hips for a moment before one came up to point at him accusingly. His eyes widened at the tears that hung in her eyes, waiting to fall. "Fine! Don't give that up! You can have that, but you have to do something for me in return! Don't you _dare_ forget who you are for the sake of being with _me_! No more of this living for my sake, Sesshomaru! Live because you are proud to do so, as yourself!" He blinked, realizing what she was saying. He had been a sad fool.

What good would changing himself for her sake do if it meant she would no longer love him? Closing his eyes for a moment, he gave a short nod in understanding before he stood and took a deep breath. If she wanted him, _all of him_, who was he to deny her wishes? She began to turn away, giving an annoyed huff, only to squeak when he reached out and pulled her to him suddenly. When he opened his eyes, looking down on her with his intense amber gaze, she gasped. "Do not think you can order me again, Kagome."

She began to disagree, only for her words to be crushed as he pulled her body to him and leaned in to kiss her. This… was not like before. This was rough and demanding, his lips burning into hers as his tongue traced her lips, only to dart into her mouth as she gasped at the intensity of his attentions. Kagome moaned against him, their tongues dancing against each other as his hands came down to grip her buttocks, lifting her off the ground. When he broke the kiss, suddenly tossing her onto her bed, she gave a startled shriek.

She stared up at him, chest heaving as a tremble raced up her spine at the dangerous glint in his eyes. Licking her dry lips, she sat up only for her eyes to widen at his command. "Stay." Then he was gone, and she felt the amazing pulse of his youki swelling from outside before she felt the ground shake. Eyes widening, she turned to look out her window, only catching a glimpse of silver fur as it raced by before she saw his silhouette in the moonlight, a massive dog. He raised his head to the sky and howled.


	42. The Truth Hurts

Prompt: silk & trinket via missartemis88

* * *

**The Truth Hurts  
**

The next morning, after a restless night where Kagome slept in her room, afraid to move as Sesshomaru's overpowering aura pressed down on half of Tokyo, she woke to him shaking her gently. "Get up." Groaning, she turned and tried to pull the blanket over her head, only for him to rip it entirely off her, tossing it behind him and sending her body into a shock of freezing cold. She turned to yell at him, only to pause when she saw the outfit he held out for her. "Put these on. Hurry up, you will be late." She nodded.

He left the room, leaving her with the pinstripe suit, complete with slacks, a vest, and a powder blue blouse. After dressing, she stumbled down the stairs where he motioned for her to sit and eat the breakfast her mother had served. As she began to eat, her eyes widened when he produced a brush from within his sleeves and began to work on her hair. Kagome blinked and turned to look at her mother curiously, but the woman was merely watching them with a small smile. "What is going on?" She asked around her food. He hit her sharply.

She turned to stare at him in shock, reaching up to rub at her abused head. His eyes narrowed on her. "Do not talk with food in your mouth, Kagome. Be still." Without waiting for her response, he turned her head forcefully and resumed his grooming of her while she gaped in complete mortification. Just what had she done last night? She wanted him to be himself, but she also liked the sweet him! Pouting, she set her chopsticks down with a huff, crossing her arms and waiting for him to finish. When he was satisfied, she glared at him.

"This is all swell, but did you forget that I don't have a job anymore?" She groused, ignoring the way her mother shook her head at her daughter's behavior and gave a little sigh. Sesshomaru merely pointed to the food, as if Kagome had said nothing at all. After two minutes of total silence where he continued to point to the breakfast, she realized he was not asking her – this was an order. With an irritated sigh she began to stand. "I'm not hungry. I lost my appetite." Sesshomaru gently pushed her back into the seat, holding out her chopsticks.

"Eat. You need your strength today." With that, he turned to give a small bow of the head to her mother. "This Sesshomaru will be departing for a few days. Please see to her health as you normally would. We leave her in your competent care." The woman nodded and Kagome sighed and looked up at him curiously, to which he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "You will return to the same place you worked yesterday. They will not be a nuisance to you any longer." Kagome's jaw dropped at that. What had he _done_?

That was not the most important thing. "Where are you going?" She tried not to let the fear she felt at his departure leak out into her question, but failed miserably and ended up sounding like a terrified child. The unspoken part of that question 'Will you come back?' hung thickly in the air as Sesshomaru reached down and ran his fingertips along her cheek before leaning in and placing a gentle kiss on her lips, much different than the one last night, but still full of emotions. "Why can't I go with you?" She pouted when he pulled back.

"We go to reclaim what is ours, to right wrongs and return things to their rightful place. Someday, our ancestral home will be yours and we wish it to be as hospitable to you as possible. Only our mother and a handful of loyal servants have remained there for these years and the home has fallen into disrepair. Do not worry, we will return. Until then, you must go and work and be successful in providing a modern living for us. Forgive this Sesshomaru's inadequacy in modern living. We will seek out employment to relieve you of this burden soon."

Kagome frowned. She didn't like how he had slipped back into his formal way of speaking. Yesterday, he had been vulnerable and normal, speaking to her as an equal – now they were back to this. "You don't have to try so hard, Sesshomaru. I can manage this." He shook his head and turned to her mother once more, giving another bow of the head before taking up her hand and kissing the back. The next thing she knew, he was gone and she was sighing. "Oh great, _now_ he's romantic!" She turned and grumbled, eating as her mother smirked knowingly.

When Sesshomaru left the house, he turned to see Jaken standing beside him, holding Tenseiga and Bakusaiga in his tiny hands as he bowed and held them out for his master. Reaching out, Sesshomaru hesitated for a moment. He hadn't wanted this life anymore, but he knew that Kagome was right. He could not just forget who and what he was. Even if he no longer had a need to be powerful and fearsome, he _was_. Taking each sword, he reverently slid them into place, letting out a breath he had been holding for nearly five hundred years. Finally himself.

They lifted off the ground, Jaken clinging to his leg as they began to fly towards Sesshomaru's ancestral home. "Jaken, report." The toad nodded, clutching his staff nervously as he told Sesshomaru what had become of his home. Sesshomaru knew some details from Myouga, but Jaken had refused to tell him until he was free from the curse, worried that his master might become even more despondent if he knew the truth of his honorable family's fate. Those Sesshomaru had slighted in order to get revenge for childhood hurts quickly honed in on his weakness, like vultures they stripped him.

First, went the silk garments that his family had carefully collected and protected over millennia. Paintings, tapestries, celadon vases, fine china, silver and jade, every bauble, every trinket, everything of value. Anything that wasn't valuable but might be sentimental was burned. Sesshomaru's mother barely survived with the clothes on her back as Jaken and the few remaining loyal servants guarded her. One of the young handmaids, a female that Sesshomaru's mother had favored for him, had perished in protecting her lady. They were only barely able to keep the home itself from burning to the ground. Everything was quickly gone.

Power in numbers and a lack of a strong protector left the great inu home vulnerable. Jaken had considered going to get InuYasha, even, if only to save the precious memories of Sesshomaru's lineage, but knew he would be too late and thus made the call to save what he could. In the end there was little left but a few sets of clothing, the Meido stone, and Sesshomaru's two swords. Jaken swallowed hard as he looked away before explaining that the culprits had even managed to deface the lady, cutting off her precious hair. Sesshomaru growled. Someone would pay.


	43. Mother's Pride

Prompt: a red dawn via Kneazles (always happy to take more prompts, my dear! I use all prompts that I get! The more prompts you all give me, the more chapters you get!)

* * *

**Mother's Pride  
**

Sessomaru came upon his ancestral home early in the next morning. It was still dark, not even quite sunrise when he landed in the entry and his eyes narrowed as something shifted in the darkness of the entry. Taking a cautionary sniff, he stiffened and his eyes widened as he scented out the culprit. Licking his lips and swallowing down against a thick sensation in the back of his throat, he stepped forward, eyes softening upon the shadowy figure. With a tightened voice, he spoke, realizing that no amount of greetings could ever undo what had been done. "Hello mother."

She stilled and turned to stare at him slowly, eyes flashing in the darkness. A slow smirk came to her face and she let out a broken laugh. "Sesshomaru… my beautiful pup… where have you been? I only saw you just yesterday. You were this big…" She held her hand up to her waist, around the size he had been when still a young boy in lessons. His eyes narrowed but he refused to frown, not wanting to upset her. He was used to her odd behaviors, but this was much worse than he remembered. She took a step forward.

"Have you come to finish what they started?" Sesshomaru's eyes widened even more, a clear look of shock on his face as the sun began to crest over the mountain, illuminating the damaged castle and his mother – covered in blood. She gave a smirk and let out a laugh, shuddering as she stumbled forward once more. "Why do you never say anything, my son? Are you not proud of us for finally being strong? This is what your father always wanted, a strong mate, a strong heir… we were so pathetic to let him down. Let us make it right!"

Sesshomaru let out a slow breath and stepped forward, his thumb tracing over the crescent moon on her forehead and startling the female with a gasp. She looked up at him with wide eyes, as if seeing him for the first time, and tears welled in her eyes as she gave off a small, broken whimper. "What have you done, mother?" He whispered, almost afraid to hear the response. Jaken nervously darted around them, slipping inside only returning with a screech and a gasp, throwing himself to the ground, muttering something that Sesshomaru could only catch bits and pieces of.

It would seem his mother murdered her companions. The female's face twitched and she smiled slightly, giving a shaky laugh. "We saved them! We saved them! They were weak! Serving a weak mistress! Death was only too generous!" Sesshomaru did his best not to outwardly show his disapproval, but he could not keep it from his eyes and his mother gasped and pointed at him with a trembling finger. "Not you, too! Do not look at us like that! Do not give us the same eyes as your father, Sesshomaru!" With that she gave a wail and crumbled before him.

Sesshomaru caught her and stood for a while, holding his sobbing mother and staring over the broken home of his childhood. The wind echoed through the halls, groaning and gasping as it blew through the home, tossing up bits of charred remains and tearing through already damaged shoji screens. With a sigh, he carefully took a step forward, ready to reclaim the past and bring it into the future he had come to love. Within his heart, he felt the warmth of the sun at his back and knew that Kagome was there, supporting him. He stubbornly held onto hope.

Finding a rhythmic pattern, Sesshomaru slowly began to clean his home. First, the bath, which contained the rotting and putrid corpse of one of his mother's retainers. After performing a burial for the poor servant, Sesshomaru set about scrubbing, hair tied up in a messy braid, sleeves pulled back, brow furrowed. He scrubbed well into the early part of the day before he felt that the bath was satisfactory enough and finally filled it. Bringing his poor mother into the bath, he slowly washed her trembling form, watching with sad eyes as the blood slowly rinsed from her moonlight locks.

When she was clean of blood, he dressed her as she was now unable to dress herself, having lost that capacity many years ago. With a frown, he turned to the bath and sighed. Handing his mother over to Jaken, he set about cleaning the room again; wanting to rid the home he had known as a child of the heavy scent of death and emptiness that lingered there. His mother paused in the doorway, turning to look at him with a faint smile and reaching up to pat her hair that he had done up in her favorite style.

"You remembered. You always were so good at grooming, my son." She said with a happy and wistful tone. He turned to look at her, his gaze passive but more emotional than she could recall and her smile broadened. Her young, tiny pup had grown into a fine strong male. Tears welled in her eyes as her pride grew. She was grateful for this one small favor granted to her. Sesshomaru listened to her footsteps as she retreated into the home, heading towards the gardens, and couldn't help the faint smile when he overheard her question when Jaken had arrived.


	44. Secrets

Prompt: aurora borealis via missartemis88

* * *

**Secrets  
**

It took far longer than Sesshomaru expected to finish with the repairs and begin his plans. The home had been littered with broken bits of furniture, carcasses of birds (apparently all his mother ate for years), and the few remains of whatever his family owned that hadn't been burned or stolen. After a week, he finally had everything together and let out a sigh, going into his room and staring at the dusty space. It was the only room he had yet to enter, and the most important. He had learned from his troubles and had always been thoroughly prepared.

Jaw set, he marched over to the bed and stared down at the heavy ornate carvings that surrounded the risen platform which his worn futon sat upon. Lightly, his fingers traced over the depictions of proud inu, howling at the crescent moon. It was the only thing his father ever truly gave him when he was alive. Glancing around, he listened carefully before noting that none were nearby and placing both hands on either side of the bed. With a heavy push and a grunt, the bed shifted and moved, gliding along wheels and lifting to roll along the floor.

When he pushed, the gears beneath the bed squeaked from disrepair and age, but eventually gave way and allowed him to shove the bed along the track which held the wheels in place until the bed rolled right up off them. Once the bed was out of the way, he stood and let out a heavy breath, staring down at the trap door that rested hidden beneath his bed. None knew of its existence. Save for him, his father, and perhaps Totosai, who had assisted his father in the design and construction of the bed. He lifted the door. Darkness.

Stepping down into the dark space, Sesshomaru stared around, eyes adjusting to the lack of light as he made his way inward and found an old lamp to light. Once it was lit, he was able to properly assess his holdings. Licking his lips, he allowed his fingers to trace over several well-crafted swords and sets of armor that lined the entry. Those would be useful when he found allies. For now, they were not what he sought. Continuing down the hall, he entered another larger room and lifted the lamp. In here were pieces of finery, tapestries and paintings.

Gold and gems glittered from within a small chest in the corner. Raising the lamp, he turned to see a large portrait of his family. His great and terrible father, his mother before she had succumbed to her sadness, and himself when he was just a small pup, barely reaching his father's knee. Fingers coming up, he traced the somber faces within the painting and let out a sigh. Turning, he noted a tansu in the corner and went to open it, pulling out the largest of the drawers and slowly pushing aside the rice paper. Sesshomaru sighed in relief.

Carefully, he withdrew the kimono and stared down on it with a heavy thickness in his throat. At least he had _this_, if nothing else. Folding the delicate silk back up, he returned it to its place, closing the drawer and turning to go right and into another, smaller room. In here the walls were lined with shelves, scrolls piled up on each. Going to the desk in the center of the room, he set his lamp down and looked up to a large map hanging on the wall. The western territories, lands claimed by the inu for many centuries.

That was not important. What he sought was within the desk. Pulling out an old and slightly warped drawer, he winced at the sharp squeak it made, pulling out a thick accordion style book. Opening it, he realized that time had not been good to it; the pages were delicate and worn. He would need to ask Kagome's grandfather to help him in restoring the document and transferring the information to a modern style of collection for safe keeping. Staring down at it, he read the lists of familiar names, following the lines as they all led to one point.

His family record. Soon, it would require updating. Closing it up again, he gathered it together and looked around before taking up the lamp and exiting the way he came. Most of this would come out of storage now that the home had been stripped and particularly now that the home was _his_ to protect. These items had been gathered here by Sesshomaru himself, most gifted to him by his mother and father during his childhood. It was traditional for a young lord to receive things that could prepare him later in life. Luckily, these things had not been found.

Exiting the storage, he called for Jaken, entrusting him with the task of only removing what was necessary in order to give the ancestral home the proper appearances. The toad set to work and Sesshomaru went to his mother, finding her in the garden, which Jaken had been tending to this whole week much to her delight. "Mother." She turned to him and smiled, asking when he had arrived, he avoided the question. "I must depart, but will return soon. Listen to Jaken, please, and stop killing birds. They won't return if you keep doing that." She pouted at this.

When she gave a nod in understanding, he let out a relieved sigh. It would seem she was coming back to herself. He wondered how long that might last. Deciding it was no time for worries, he took to the skies, his mind returning to Kagome once more. He had thought of her every day since he had left her, hoping she was alright, longing to see her, missing her warmth and her smiles. Kagome was like an unusual illness that had somehow crept up on him, but he was unable to shake it. More importantly, he didn't _want_ to.

High in the sky, above the home he had known from childhood, he released his youki, allowing it to rise up and float about. The green hue of his youki waved in the air, as a warning banner to all of his enemies and any of his allies that he, Sesshomaru of the great and fearsome inu youkai clan of the west, was _back_. Allowing the cold winds to whip around him, he closed his eyes and listened. In the distance, a heavy howl rang out, followed by another, and soon another. All saying the same thing: _Welcome home, master_.


	45. Good Morning

Prompt: café via 1CarinoInu

* * *

**Good Morning  
**

Kagome sullenly stared out the window. A week had passed and there had been no word from him. Everyone at her job now avoided her like the plague, furthering Kagome's curiosity on how Sesshomaru had convinced them to keep her on, but none of them would even look at her, let alone talk to her in order for her to find out. Worse, this made work such a bore as she couldn't be her usual bubbly, friendly self. The first couple days had been rough but as the week wore on, Kagome began to slip into old habits. Self doubt.

It had been her constant companion for so many years that being disbelieving of her good fortune came to her easily. Sesshomaru _couldn't_ love her! He was just behaving strangely from being under a curse all these years! He had just been trying things out, or bored, or cruel! Her mind came up with a thousand excuses as to why she was not worth his time, until she felt his youki nearing, followed by what sounded like every dog in the prefecture howling. Kagome sat for a while, the butterflies in her stomach coming to life. How would she react?

Part of her wanted to be angry, to go hide in her room and not look at him. He left her for far longer than she was ready to accept. Part of her wanted to scream and yell and throw things, a habit she had sadly not entirely grown out of. Instead of doing any of those things, however, she gasped as she felt his youki just outside, saw the snow kicking up, and before she could stop herself she was on her feet and running out into the snow without shoes or a coat, throwing herself into his arms.

Sesshomaru caught her easily, realizing she had nothing to protect herself he lifted her into his arms, allowing her to cling to him. "I missed you." She murmured into his hair, voice cracking with her emotions. Then she leaned back and looked at him with a smile. "Did you claim everything that was yours again?" He smirked, understanding that she was a woman who understood an old-fashioned sense of honor and for an innumerable time, he once again was grateful to have found her. When her teeth chattered he chose to bring her indoors rather than respond to her question.

After setting her on the ground beside the kotatsu, his eyes widened and his fingertips grazed over the bare flesh of her leg, no longer bound inside the cast. She flushed and looked away before giving a smile. "The doctors said it was time to take it off, I just have to be careful! It wasn't that bad of a break, so I didn't need it as long as I thought I would." When she turned to look at him again he was already being taken away by her curious family who seemed to have a million questions for him.

Kagome sighed and watched him interact with her family, trying not to get jealous at how he was giving them all attention but practically ignoring her. When he presented her grandfather with an old book of some sort, mumbling some things under his breath about restoration, the old man's eyes widened after glancing at the contents and nodded, ushering Sesshomaru up to his room. Kagome gave a huff and crossed her arms, pouting and turning away, but not moving from where he had put her. When an hour went by without a word from him, her heart was aching. Jerk.

Wasn't he supposed to love her? Why was he ignoring her entirely? Resting her head on the table in front of her, she let out a melancholy sigh, only for her stomach to flip when warm arms wrapped around her. "You do not look very happy, Kagome. Is something the matter?" She huffed and peeked up at him from beneath the curtain of her hair, glaring daggers into him as best she could while he continued to hold her gently, causing her heart to flutter. She couldn't even stay mad at him! How unfair was that? "Tomorrow is your day."

She gasped at those words, whispered into her ear and she lifted her head to look back at him. "Really?" He nodded. "Anything I want?" Another nod. She smiled and turned, throwing her arms around him once more. They stayed like that for a while as Kagome thought over what they might do, only for her mind to screech to a grinding halt. They were going out, just the two of them. Had Sesshomaru just casually asked her out on a date? Eyes widening in shock she pulled away from him and ran for the stairs. What would she wear?!

Sesshomaru watched her flee from him, brow furrowing in confusion. Mrs Higurashi giggled and he turned to her, raising an eyebrow. The woman sighed and shook her head. "A word of advice: don't ever try to understand females. The more you try, the less you'll know." He frowned and nodded slowly, wondering if that applied to all females, or just ones he was romantically involved with. Deciding to go up to Kagome's room, he looked in, only to duck out when a yellow top flew at him. Slowly, he retreated downstairs, almost afraid to get involved in whatever _that_ was.

After some time, Kagome finally returned and they spent the evening discussing her woeful work conditions and how she was growing to hate her job because no one would even look at her. She tried to get him to tell her what he had done in order to secure her job again, but he refused to divulge that bit of information, instead suggesting that she merely work hard and get promoted to another position – as he was sure she could, since she was quite intelligent. (Forget that he had called her an idiot a number of times. She was satisfied.)

That evening, Kagome lay in her bed, eyes wide and staring at the ceiling as a heavy loneliness filled her. Shivering, she reached out for Yuki out of instinct, only to frown when she realized how stupid that was. Yuki no longer existed. He was Sesshomaru. Her mother wouldn't let him crawl into her bed and sleep with her, no matter how warm it might make Kagome. Turning to face the window, Kagome curled up in her bed, clutching her blanket as she felt the first few tears trickle down her face. It was stupid, but she couldn't help it.

Even though he was right downstairs, despite that he had told her he would spend the whole day with her tomorrow… she _missed him_. She felt as if a huge part of her was missing as she slowly realized just how much of her life he had begun to occupy. Kagome could barely think back to a time without him. She knew those memories were there, in the past, and some were good memories, but they were becoming washed out and faded beneath the shining warmth she felt whenever she thought of him. Every day she always thought of him.

So why did she feel as if he wasn't entirely there? Frowning, she stared up at the moon and stared at it, watching the branches of the Goshinboku shift beneath the snow. She lay like that for most of the night, worrying as she tried not to miss someone that was right downstairs, until she finally passed out. When she woke the next morning it was from the gentle caress of fingers sliding across her cheek. "Kagome… Kagome…" Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him with a sleepy smile. "Good morning." He said softly as she sat.

Kagome mumbled some sort of greeting, expecting him to thrust clothes at her and force her to eat like he had the last time he woke her. Instead, he leaned in to kiss her. She gasped, eyes flying open before she brought her arms up to wrap around his shoulders, returning the kiss. She knew they were supposed to be going out on a date - to a movie and then to a local café she had been wanting to visit – but right now, all she could think about was how this wasn't just good, but the best morning _ever_.


	46. Fairy Tales

Prompt: lore and legends via Kneazles

* * *

**Fairy Tales  
**

The morning went by lethargically, Kagome and Sesshomaru spent the early hours curled up on her bed talking about things they had never had a chance to discuss before. He asked about her education, having some knowledge about modern education from his time as Yuki, but not a thorough understanding. Kagome explained how _every_ person is educated in order to give all people the equal opportunity to bring forward their best skills for the betterment of society. She went on to describe the levels of education, even suggesting that she might go to college now that she had a reason.

Sesshomaru frowned at this. While he didn't say anything, something was bothering him. Kagome had told him not to live for her, why was it okay for her to only live because of him? He had managed his goal of getting InuYasha out of her mind, it seemed, but not in the way he had wanted. She should be living, beautifully and vibrantly, because she _could_ - not because she thought she needed to take care of him. "I have a confession to make." He said before he could convince himself that it would be better to not tell her.

Kagome blinked and looked up at him. He continued, not waiting for her response. "When I said that I had nothing: that was a lie. I wasn't sure if it would still be there or not, so I allowed myself only to believe that they had taken everything. It was better than getting my hopes up that there would still be something. However, there was a secret store beneath my bed that they had not found. You do not have to work to provide a living for us, Kagome." She nodded slowly, as if a little confused by this news.

"I want to." She said softly, taking up his hand and weaving her fingers between his as she let out a content sigh. "I know it's silly, but I… I liked the idea of taking care of you. I know that you don't really need me, you've always been able to survive, but I really loved the thought that it would be _me_ saving _you_. In human culture we have many stories that tell of brave heroes who save the damsel in distress, whisking her off her feet and romantically carrying her away into the sunset on a white horse."

Sesshomaru listened to her words, understanding that it wasn't that she wanted him to be incapable, but that she wanted to prove herself competent. That was reasonable and it only proved that he had chosen well when he chose her of any female he had come across. She was brave and willing to protect what was hers. When he did not immediately respond, her expression turned worried and he narrowed his eyes on her, deciding he should tease her a little. With a nod, he leaned in to whisper into her ear. "Would a white dog be an appropriate substitute?"


	47. Marry Me

Prompt: avalanche via missartemis88

* * *

**Marry Me  
**

When he left her again, stating that the next time she would need to be prepared to join him in journeying to his home and meeting his mother, Kagome threw her arms around him and tightly clung to him as she tried not to let the onslaught of her emotions ruin the happiness she felt at his statement. For once, he was inviting her to _his_ world, into his life. Still, the idea that he was leaving her again left her feeling empty and her worries and doubts began to pile up within her again. Sensing her distress, Sesshomaru growled.

"Kagome, listen to us. You will not have to wait much longer. Soon, we will defeat our enemies, rejoin our allies, and return our honorable family to the greatness it once was. Be strong and patient, as we know you can be, and wait for the time when we accomplish our task and return to you, victorious. When that time comes, you will be our bride." She gasped and looked up at him, as that singular word rang within her like an echo, throwing all her emotions in a furious storm that washed over her and left her peaceful. Bride.

She almost missed when he kissed her and left her standing in her living room as her mother shook her head at her daughter's antics and her brother whined at how gross they were becoming. Her whole body was floating as she made her way to her room, looking around for something to keep her occupied as she tried to fully digest this concept. Out of habit, her hands came to the red sweater she had been knitting for Yuki and she sat on her bed, fingers working on automation as her face slowly flushed. She would be Sesshomaru's bride.


	48. Past Meets Present

Prompt: Father Time via 1CarinoInu

* * *

**Past Meets Present  
**

Sesshomaru stood within his study, looking down at the list of names, eyes narrowing with each character. His blood boiled as he considered just how many had betrayed his family, how many had hurt those he cared for. Frowning, he looked up at Jaken, who nervously shifted under his master's unusual new habit of outwardly expressing himself. "These are all of them?" The toad nodded. "They are here?" Again, a nod. Sesshomaru smiled broadly at that, sending a shiver down Jaken's spine. He _knew_ that look – that was not an expression his master had gained from humans – it was death.

The day before, Sesshomaru had gathered together those he knew he could trust, which were few but powerful. Those who had devoted themselves to the way of a warrior, who would die for honor and dignity in the name of the great inu clan that had once brought this land to peace for centuries – these few were tested and hand selected as Sesshomaru's personal guard. He had no friends among them; they did not have that kind of relationship. He was their master and they were his loyal servants, merely waiting for him to command them. He would need them.

Now more than ever, Sesshomaru might lose control of himself and if he did that, even for a moment, his orders had been for there to be no hesitation in striking him down. If he lost the remnants of humanity that he had gained through these few weeks spending with Kagome, he would not be worthy of her affections. Closing his eyes tightly, he slowly slipped on the carefully constructed mask of indifference that he had worked so hard to create in his childhood. It would be the last time he would wear it. After today, it would be meaningless.

Standing, he took up his swords and reached up to mechanically test his armor, tugging and pulling at it as he always had before going into battle. Turning to Jaken, but not looking at him, Sesshomaru spoke firmly, his words no longer holding any emotion as they had just moments before – for a few moments, Jaken stood in awe of his master, returned to him as if nothing had ever happened. "Our mother?" The toad bowed low and explained that she was in the gardens, as he requested, heavily guarded and with her new handmaids. Sesshomaru took a slow breath.

Eyes drifting closed; he slowly inhaled and exhaled as he mentally visualized the battle to come. When his eyes opened, they were once again the hardened amber gaze he had held half a millennia ago, the very eyes he had killed countless with, a steady and unfeeling glare. Inside, he clung to the image of Kagome within his mind as he marched out of the study and down the hall to his greeting room, steeling himself against the anger and hate he felt swirling within him. It would be all too easy to lose himself in this moment of hate.

Standing before the door, listening to the snickering and the rude comments from inside, Sesshomaru closed his eyes once more and conjured up the image of Kagome. This time, in his mind, she was dressed within the kimono he had found in his hidden treasury, the one his mother had gifted to him when he was a young pup. He could still recall how reverently she had handled the material, how lovingly she gazed upon it. It had been what she wore when she married his great father and she gave it to Sesshomaru for his future bride to wear.

Seeing the image of Kagome standing within that luxurious silken robe, he knew that he had to make it through this. He had to survive this and return to her with his humanity intact, to return to her with honor. Or he might never see her become his bride – which would mean he would never see her again. Swallowing back the whimper that tried to escape him at that thought, he bit down on his tongue, savoring the bitter flavor of his blood as he opened the door and stepped into the greeting room, marching past the line of guests.

Turning sharply, just before the dias which he had personally never occupied, he stared down at those who sat before him, all grinning and waiting for him to do something. Only a handful had brought their own guard, it seemed most of them thought him soft and weak after being trapped as a dog for hundreds of years. Eyes narrowing, Sesshomaru carefully calculated which would be the most danger and mentally prepared himself as he spoke. "You are all charged with treason against the inu clan which has honorably guarded your lands." Many of the guests shifted uncomfortably. Sesshomaru smirked.

Gesturing out, he waited as Jaken came forward and set out a small tray with a tanto lain across it. Sesshomaru spoke once more as all eyes fell upon the glistening blade of the knife. "You may go with honor, as our last generosity towards you…" Sesshomaru glanced between the various youkai around him, watching their reactions and gauging what might happen. "Or you may die at our hand, bringing even greater honor to the inu clan." All eyes fell upon him as they realized what he was stating. There was no escape for them here. They would all die.

One of them, a dark haired inu that had always looked down upon Sesshomaru, snorted and took a whiff of his pipe before setting it aside with a sigh and standing. He went to stand before Sesshomaru, bowing deeply before him and then kneeling in front of the prepared tanto. As he began to pull his clothes down, taking a deep breath and readying the knife, he and the witnesses watched as Sesshomaru stepped around and pulled out Bakusaiga. Eyes widened at that. All knew what that meant. This would be _permanent_. Bakusaiga would assure there would be no revivals.

Sesshomaru waited as his long-time enemy glared. There would be no way out of this choice now. It would be dishonorable to fight now. Letting out a slow breath, the dark haired inu held the tanto before him. When he stabbed himself through, Sesshomaru let out a loud cry as he swiftly decapitated the first of his enemies, sending a smattering of blood across the carefully cleaned and replaced tatami mats. The head rolled along the floor as Bakusaiga's power began to spark within the corpse. Green energy darted around before a rain of blood and guts showered the room.

His enemies cried out and darted away like cockroaches fleeing from light, but Sesshomaru was prepared for this and rushed out, quickly slicing through each of them as they attempted to run. There would be no escape for them, there would be only honor brought to his home, to his clan, to his life. As he felt the rush of adrenaline surge through him, smelled the scent of his enemy's blood enshroud him, Sesshomaru felt the first twinges of his control slipping away. With a deep inhale, he desperately pulled forward the image of Kagome, dressed in his mother's kimono.

Clinging to that image, his body moved on its own as he forced himself to finish what he knew had to be done. His family would never be safe if he could not rid them of their enemies. This would be it; this would be the last time he would need to exact his dominance in this manner. All others would obey once they saw the signs of his power, of his might. Dodging as one of the guards of his guests attempted to stab him; Sesshomaru turned and swiftly cut the guard down. Blood and screams filled the room.

Normally, he would have reveled in the feel of this, would have enjoyed the taste and smell of the blood of his enemies. Now, however, now that the slow grips of time long past had begun to lose their grip on him, as the gentle hold of a new time, a new world welcomed him into its embrace, Sesshomaru found that he was beginning to loathe this moment. As he struck down the last of his enemies, the great and fearsome lord of the west shuddered and fell forward from the pain of his emotions. Lowering his head, Sesshomaru cried.

It started slowly, a single teardrop falling to land in the puddle of blood that pooled at his knees. Dropping the sword, Sesshomaru collapsed onto his hands, gasping for breath as his eyes closed tightly. The tears he had never learned to shed were streaming down his face as he mentally chanted the words within his head that he couldn't bring himself to utter. He knew he had let her down, that while he had to do this for their protection, she would never approve. All he could do was hope she would forgive him. "Kagome, I'm sorry." He whispered.


	49. Warning Signs

Prompt: ghosts and lanterns via missartemis88

* * *

**Warning Signs  
**

Sesshomaru watched as the garments of his enemies – all that remained of them – were wrapped around poles and placed at the western edge of the massive castle. Servants lit lanterns and placed them around the poles, the crest of his family glowing brightly upon the massive red lanterns. These were a warning to all who might dare to thwart the inu clan again. Even the _runts_ of this family were powerful. They would not idly stand by and allow such disrespect again. Turning to his mother, he noted her sad eyes. He wondered why she, of all, would feel sympathetic.

"The ghosts of the past exact their revenge on us, my son. They haunt us; they fill our days with regrets, with words unspoken, with chances lost. Do not let your heart fall prey to their grief, Sesshomaru, or they will consume you. Like these lanterns, you are merely a paper sheath that carefully covers the fire within – but if you allow yourself to fall to your sadness, it will consume you." His eyes widened. It was the most lucid he had seen her be, the most reasonable thing he had heard her say in years. Had she finally returned?

Reaching out, he placed a hand on her shoulder, ready to pull her in for a hug, only for her to turn to him with a faint smile. Her eyes widened. "Sesshomaru? When did you get here?" He tried not to let the disappointment show, deciding it didn't matter. For a few moments, she had been there and had given him something valuable. Pulling her towards him, he wrapped his arms around her, startling her and causing her to reach up with shaky hands to pet him gently. "There, there, it's all right. I have always been proud of you."

Sesshomaru nodded, closing his eyes. It was true. She had always been proud of him, even when he had done something wrong. Perhaps, Kagome would be able to love him in a similar manner, forgive him for mistakes made. He knew that his actions were driven mostly by anger, not out of actual necessity. Kagome would strongly disagree with his choices. He would need to make it right. Releasing his mother, he felt the urge to see Kagome again, to hold her and try to get her to understand. Taking off into the night, he found his way to her.

When he arrived the house was completely silent. Hesitantly, he reached for the door knob, only to find it locked. With a frown he went around and floated up to Kagome's room, noting that she was asleep inside. He wasn't sure why he felt the compulsion to do so, but before he knew it he was testing the window, eyes widening with surprise as he realized it was unlocked. As if she _knew_ he might return well after the doors had been locked. Frowning at her lack of concern for her safety, he slowly lifted the window, carefully climbing in.

Locking the window behind him, Sesshomaru turned to stare down at her. Her hair fanned around her face in the moonlight, the creamy skin of her neck exposed to his vision. Eyes closing with a small groan, he composed himself and stood beside the bed, slowly removing the clean armor he had put on after his bath. Without a moment of hesitation, he lifted the blanket and slid into the bed beside her, wrapping his arms around her and burrowing into her neck. She shifted and moaned, but settled against him and soon they both fell into a content sleep.


	50. Scent of a Woman

Prompt: Petrichor via Ava's Odd Word Challenges

* * *

**Scent of a Woman  
**

The smell of freshly watered earth just after a summer storm – that was the scent he woke to as he inhaled her unique fragrance. Sesshomaru turned into her warmth, wrapping his arms further around her and taking a slow deep breath of contentment. He had forgotten what it was like to lay next to her these past few days. In his haste to gather himself once more, to be the one she remembered – if not an improved version of himself – he had left behind the simple things. Nuzzling against her neck, he lazily allowed his eyes to open just slightly.

She was staring at him. Eyes widening a little, he blinked and leaned back to focus on her better. She smiled at him softly. "Good morning." She mumbled, letting out a little yawn before reaching up to rub at her eyes. "When did you get here?" She wondered. He contemplated asking her why she wasn't bothered by his presence, but decided to let it go in favor of closing his eyes and pulling her closer to him. It was far too cold and far too early to be having conversation. "Sesshomaru?" He scowled and cracked one eye open at her.

Kagome giggled at his behavior, shaking her head. He sighed, only for his eyes to open wide when her mother opened the door. "Kagome do yo-" The woman trailed off and her face quickly went from surprised to mortified anger as she rushed over to the bed and pulled her daughter out from his embrace. "What do you think you are _doing_?!" The woman hissed at her child, tugging the frustrated girl out of the room and shoving her into the hall before closing the door in her face. Sesshomaru let out a sigh, sitting up to look at her.

Meanwhile, Kagome stood on the other side of the door, ear pressed to it as she tried to hear what her mother was saying to him. All she could make out was her mother's angry voice telling him that he should know better and asking how he got into the house in the first place. When he explained that her daughter had left her window unlocked the woman's voice rose in frustration and anger. Kagome winced and slowly made her way down the stairs to start helping with breakfast, hoping her mother would calm down. It's not like anything happened!

Still, she knew why her mother was upset. She had always told Kagome to be careful and to respect herself. Sleeping with men she wasn't married to, even men she might be technically engaged to, wasn't okay – even if that sleeping was entirely innocent. Kagome sighed as she set the table, wondering when a time might come when she could enjoy every morning like this one. Her eyes widened and her face flushed deeply as she gasped and shook her head. Ever since he had surprised her by saying she would be his bride her stupid mind had gone crazy!

It was then that she recalled what he said. Gasping, she turned to see him as he came down the stairs, followed by her mother who seemed placated. Kagome's blush deepened as her eyes met his and she struggled to pull her gaze from his. He had said that when he returned she would be his bride. Did that mean now? Her pulse sped up as she tried to think this through, but failed miserably. All her brain could manage to think about was how she was going to marry Sesshomaru… soon. Her heart skipped a beat. Was she ready?

The dish in her hands slipped out of her grasp as she felt the first wave of shocked trembles course through her body. As it shattered against the floor, she ran past him and her mother, darting up to her room and slamming the door closed behind her before slumping against it when the first wave of tears tumbled from her eyes. Hyperventilating, she gasped for breath through her sobs as she tried to control her emotions. Shaking hands came up to wrap around her, seeking comfort. This was a happy time, wasn't it? So why was she so terrified?

Sesshomaru left Jaken to help Mrs Higurashi clean up the broken dish as he went upstairs, a small frown coming to his face as he heard her sobs from the other side of the door. Leaning into it, he placed his palm against the wood of the barrier between them, licking his lips as he thought of what to say. "Kagome, what is wrong?" Her sobs increased at his voice and he frowned even further. This would not do. She couldn't lock him out. How was he supposed to protect her if she did? He turned the knob and shoved.

Kagome gave a squeak of surprise as the door pushed against her, forcing her forward. "Stop it!" She cried out, leaning against the door, only for her eyes to widen as she realized the folly of her actions. Slowly, he pushed the door open, forcing her back and entering the room before closing the door behind him. She shook her head and looked away from him, realizing that she was now cornered in her room, the door to her right, a wall and her desk to the left. Sesshomaru stepped forward to thoroughly fill the only escape left to her.

"What is wrong, Kagome?" He asked again, this time his voice rougher than before. He would not accept her not giving an answer – she had to explain his to him or he wouldn't let her go. Kagome brought her hands up to cup her face as her tears continued to fall out. This was all wrong. They were supposed to fall in love and everything would magically end happily ever after, right? That was how it went in books and movies. Yet, it seemed that after she had discovered her love for him everything just became complicated. Nothing was right.

"It isn't right. I… I want to be happy, I do, but I only seem to be happy a little, and then I'm scared and I don't know if I want to do this anymore… and then _that_ scares me… and I wish I knew you better – I know you pretty well, but I wish I knew more – and I wish I wasn't such a mess and that I had things together better… and I wish I knew why I was so afraid so I could just make it all stop!" Her words tumbled out quickly, her body shaking furiously.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes for a moment as he sorted through his own feelings at her response. He knew things were going quickly, possibly too fast, but he also knew he had no time to waste. He had spent a great deal of time studying ways to extend her life, and he had to try _something_ or he might lose his chance. Human life was fragile and unexpectedly snuffed out without a moment's notice. Still, he didn't want his fears at losing her to cause him to lose her emotionally, what would the point in that be? "We can wait."

Her eyes widened. What did he say? Looking to him in wonder, she watched as he first appeared worried, then rejected, then accepting. "What do you want me to do in order to make this more comfortable for you?" He wondered. Her lip trembled as she realized how selfish she was being. This was an important step in their lives, though, and she didn't want to make it on a whim. Looking into his eyes, she realized that he had just done what she needed for her heart to settle. He was willing to wait for her, no matter what.

Kagome laughed and threw her arms around him, startling him. She was still afraid. Mostly afraid that she wasn't good enough, or that he would grow tired of her, or that this was some sort of fantastic delusion. When his arms came around her, gently holding her in his embrace, she realized her fears were unfounded. Sesshomaru was not the sort to commit on a momentary thought. He had chosen her, and she should accept that. Heart beating faster, she decided she should ask him what she had wondered all this time. "Why did you pick me of all women?"

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes on her. Why had he chosen her? That was both simple and complicated. Bringing her over to the bed, he sat and pulled her down beside him, not releasing her as he thought the best way to express himself. "At first, I did not recognize you. It took some time for me to realize that you were the Shikon miko, the one who had been with InuYasha all that time. I grew comfortable with your presence in this time." Leaning in, he inhaled her fragrance. "Your scent is quite appealing. It is… calming." She blushed deeply.

"I had spent many years alone, mistreated by both youkai and humans. I was not exactly born to this greatness that you know of me. I was small, what we call a _runt_." He spat the word out harshly, looking away from her for a moment, only to turn back when he felt the warmth of her hand on his. She wanted to face this with him. His chest filled with that warmth and he let out a slow breath before continuing. "I had been… unkind… to others for their treatment of me as a pup. I had few friends."

"When I was cursed, I believed it would end quickly. I was foolish and thought that my love for Rin would be enough. I didn't realize that the love the witch spoke of was not the same as what I harbored for that child. I had never known such things. My mother and father did not have a positive relationship – as you probably guessed. I don't think my father _ever_ loved her. I had no example. No idea what this sort of love might be like. When you found me, I expected you to turn me away like the others."

"You didn't. In fact, you clung to me and needed me in a way that I had never been needed before. In return, I became attached to you as well. For once in so many years, I felt as if I had a purpose to my long life. Even cursed, I was useful and valuable in your eyes. For that, my appreciation of you grew. I learned so much about you, about your family, and the things that you taught me were strange and new. I had never known such caring, such warm devotion, than I had from your family."

"Even your mother, when she abandoned me on the roadside, cried intensely at how much it hurt her. She didn't want to do that – but she knew she had to do something in order to protect your fragile heart, in order to help you move on. At that point, my world had connected with yours in such a way that I knew I could never truly be happy without you in my life. I was… am… willing to do _anything_ to bring you even a moment of the peace and happiness that you brought me. I love you, Kagome Higurashi."

"I love your clumsiness, your stubbornness, your quiet charm… the way you put on a brave front, even when you're terrified. The gentle way you wrap your arms around me, as if to give comfort while seeking it, and the way you live in the moment – giving up sleep and warmth to watch the stars fall. Your protective nature and the way you always try to help others, even if it will hurt you in the end. I have watched you for these past few weeks, Kagome, and discovered not a woman – but a goddess. Would you be my bride?"

Kagome stared at him, lip quivering, eyes trembling, and body shaking with the intensity of her emotions. Sesshomaru loved _her_! Really, really _loved_ her! In that moment, her heart swelled and all her previous doubts shattered into a thousand pieces, leaving her with nothing more than the joy at realizing that here was someone who loved her for who she was – not who she had been, not her power… but her. Kagome, stupid, silly, ridiculous, fanciful Kagome! Leaning up, she pressed her lips to his. He pulled back with a smirk. "I presume that is a yes?" Kagome happily nodded.


	51. Celebration Flower

Prompt: poinsettia via 1CarinoInu

* * *

**Celebration Flower  
**

Kagome sat amid her friends, her face a permanent shade of crimson as they gawked at her and cheered for her sudden engagement. Sesshomaru had asked her mother, presenting the restored book of his family lineage, along with some gifts that showed his capability to provide for her daughter, obtaining permission from her mother for the union. Her grandfather was less easily swayed, but after a lengthy talk, which involved no arguing or fighting (much to the surprise of Kagome and her mother), Sesshomaru had convinced the old man that no human male could ever keep up with his granddaughter.

Sesshomaru further surprised Kagome by going to Souta, bowing low and presenting her brother with a sword before also requesting his permission to marry his sister. Souta grinned at being called the young master of the house by the youkai lord and Kagome watched with tears in her eyes as her brother placed his hand on Sesshomaru's shoulder and called him "respected brother-in-law". After he had their permission, he pressed Kagome to make her preparations quickly. She wondered what all the hurry was for, but nodded and called up her friends. They, of course, were all too happy to help.

All except Shippo, who did not show and did not answer her calls. Kagome frowned and felt a heavy weight in her stomach at that. Did her son disapprove of her relationship with Sesshomaru? They had been spending more time together after he had revealed the truth to her, going out for lunch nearly every day and getting to know the other once more. She had wanted him to be in her wedding, to be with her during this very important step in her life. Turning to look at Yuka and Eri, she smiled and tried not to feel depressed.

"Did you want a western style wedding?" Eri asked as they looked through various books of gowns, kimono, and all sorts of trappings for a wedding. Kagome glanced through the books, worrying her lower lip as she considered the options. As a child, she had always known she would have a traditional Shinto wedding, it was only natural growing up on a shrine and all, but as she grew she came to like the western style weddings. Brow furrowing, she sighed as she wished she could ask Sesshomaru, but he had left. Where was he, anyway? He should be here.

"Do you have a budget?" Yuka asked, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. Kagome looked to her friend and smiled lightly before shaking her head. All she knew was that she was supposed to leave a gown slot open for something of his choice. She assumed that meant a traditional kimono. She considered possibly having a hybrid wedding. Starting with the traditional wedding, then going into the kimono for greetings, and then a western gown for the party afterwards? Would that be too much? Turning to Jaken, who was in charge of finances, Kagome asked how much she could spend.

The toad surprised her by turning to her and bowing deeply. "As much as you wish, my lady. Whatever my lady desires, this lowly Jaken has been ordered to provide it." Kagome blinked and turned to look at her friends before they all giggled a little at the formality Jaken was showing Kagome. The poor toad was already disguised up as an old man, thereby thwarting any questions her friends might have. For a few moments, Kagome almost felt sorry for him. Still, his hate for humans seemed to have diminished greatly and he actually was being nice to her.

Kagome decided to get down to business. Gathering up her things, she and her friends headed out to shop. They had a lot to do and little time to do it in! Sesshomaru had told her to have everything ready by that evening. Apparently, when he said he wanted to get married he meant he wanted to _right now_. Kagome shook her head a little at the sudden nature within him. She wondered if this was how he would be about everything. Once he got his mind set on something, he was tenacious about getting it. She smiled at that.

Her mother and grandfather rushed about the shrine in preparation. Souta shoveled out the walkway and salted down the stairs. Everyone had a job to do. In the end, Kagome was sitting in her room, dressed in the same clothes her mother had married her father in, staring nervously at her painted reflection as her mother put the finishing touches on her makeup. There was a faint knock at the door and Kagome blinked, looking to her mother who went to the door curiously. There, standing just on the other side of the door, stood a beautiful female inu youkai.

Kagome gasped and stood, bowing deeply to the unexpected guest. When she rose, she realized the woman had already walked away. Her mother shook her head, unsure what was going on either, and both exchanged curious glances before her mother ushered her back into the chair. "We need to hurry. Something tells me he will not be pleased if you are late." Kagome smirked at that, considering being late just to see his reaction, but deciding it was better for the health and safety of her friends and family not to risk it. He would probably dismember someone. She sighed.

Going down the steps, Kagome followed her mother as they announced her intention to marry to her father at the family altar. The young woman smiled as she noted how her mother placed poinsettias on either side. They weren't exactly traditional, but for this one day they would suffice. Kagome had chosen them for the symbolism they provided. They were flowers that came in red and white, they could be toxic if consumed in large quantities, and they were a symbol of purity. They were just like her and Sesshomaru – a strange and unusual combination that resulted in something beautiful.


	52. Sentimental Blessings

Prompt: dove or doves via 1CarinoInu

* * *

**Sentimental Blessings  
**

The ceremony went by quickly. Sesshomaru seemed eager to get things finished before nightfall. A little too eager, perhaps. Kagome warily watched him through the corner of her eye, trying to determine just why they had to do things this quickly. As far as she could tell, there was no rhyme or reason to it. Simply that he _wanted_ it. But that was so unlike him she couldn't help but harbor a nagging feeling in the back of her mind that there was something he wasn't telling her. Forcing herself not to frown, Kagome's eyes widened when she sensed something.

That aura. She _knew_ that power signature like the back of her own hand. Her hand trembled and she nearly dropped the cup she held, only for Sesshomaru's own to come out and steady her. Looking to him with uncertainty, she wondered if this was the cause for his sudden behavior. Was this why he wanted to do this today? Why it had to be so immediate? Kagome shuddered as she felt the first wave of nausea wash over her when she looked up and saw Shippo. That, however, was not what frightened her. It was who followed him. InuYasha.

Kagome let out a gasping cry and shook her head violently, turning to Sesshomaru as if to ask if he had known. His eyes dimmed slightly as he reached out to hold her upright, leaning in to whisper into her ear. "I only recently learned. Until a few days ago, I thought he was dead." She stared up at him, eyes trembling with the enormity of her emotions, wondering if he had thought she might leave him for his brother, despite everything they had been through. "I did not want this because of him. I wanted this because of you."

Her brow furrowed and he looked ready to explain, but lost the chance when InuYasha and Shippo marched up towards the couple. "Hey, bastard, get your hands off her!" Kagome turned, wide eyed to stare at InuYasha incredulously. He thought he had the right to stop her _wedding_? Who was he to stop her? The hanyou's gaze connected with Kagome's and for a moment, the young miko had the sinking feeling that he might still harbor some notion of love for her. That was, until the gasping form of a young woman appeared at the top of the shrine steps.

Sesshomaru inhaled sharply and Kagome reached out, taking his hand in hers out of instinct. This was really too much. Were they ever going to catch a break? The young woman took a few deep breaths before lifting her head and beaming at them both. "Lord Sesshomaru! Lady Kagome!" Kagome felt as Sesshomaru's grip on her hand tightened, almost painfully, but she endured it as she realized he needed her strength in that moment. For there, standing before them as if nothing had ever happened to her … was Rin. How could this be possible? None of it made sense!

Rin ran up to InuYasha, scowling at him playfully before shaking her head at him. "You could have waited for me, you know!" The hanyou scoffed and crossed his arms, rolling his eyes at the young woman. Rin ignored him and turned to smile at Sesshomaru and Kagome, giving a polite bow before finally taking in their attire and the setting. She gasped; face flushing as she turned to glare at Shippo. "You only told us they were getting married! Not _today_! That information would have been very useful!" The kitsune shrugged and angrily mumbled something about impatient youkai lords.

Kagome's jaw dropped and she turned to look out at her wedding guests, realizing with a sad heart that her wedding had essentially been ruined. Yuka gave her a shrug and released the doves that Kagome had purchased for the final part of her ceremony, only for everyone to watch in horror as a slim green whip slashed out and cut the head of one of the birds off, blood splattering on the smooth stones of the shrine entrance. Sesshomaru's mother giggled something about dinner and Kagome turned to bury her head in Sesshomaru's chest, unable to face any more.

Her mother stood with a sad sigh and turned to the two. "At least you are married." Kagome glanced over at her mother, barely moving from her space pressed against the black cloth of Sesshomaru's clothing, her mother's words sinking into her. Yes, they were married. That should be a wonderful thing. So why did it feel as if it was the beginning of something far more troublesome? Looking up at her husband, she noticed how he was staring down on her, eyes intense. She smiled lightly and then turned to their newest guests, inviting them inside. They owed explanations.

Once Kagome was dressed, she sighed and turned to stare at her closet where an elaborate multi layered kimono hung. It was beautiful. Sesshomaru said that it belonged to his mother and she had worn it at the reception to her wedding. It was one of the only good things he had and he wanted her to wear it. Reaching out, her fingers traced along the elaborate embroidery. Each layer was richer than the last. Each was carefully embroidered with the symbols of the honorable inu clan. Crescent moons here, powerful dogs there. She missed the chance to wear it.

A faint knock at the door alerted her to her husband's presence. Turning, she smiled gently at that thought. _Husband_. Even though they could not have a civil ceremony and by the eyes of the law she was still a single woman, they had agreed to their union before the gods themselves, before her family, before their deceased fathers. They were husband and wife. Sesshomaru closed the door softly and went over to her, bringing his hands up to cup her face. "I have been remiss in something." He muttered before he leaned in to capture her lips with his.

Kagome moaned at the sudden warmth that pooled within her, eyes fluttering closed as she enjoyed this moment of peace. When they finally broke apart, she managed to work up the courage to ask him what she had wondered since that morning. Taking up her brush, she sat at her vanity and began to brush through her hair, only for his hands to come over hers, removing the brush from her fingers as he began to work it through her ebony locks. "Why the rush? What was your reason for today?" He stilled and their gaze met through the mirror.

"Today is the day when the sun is the weakest. Our clan is blessed by the moon. I thought it auspicious to wed you today." Kagome's eyes widened and her lip twitched as she gave a little laugh. Here she had been worried that he was doing this with some ulterior motive. He was just being superstitious… and a bit sentimental. She watched him carefully tie her hair up in a tight bun, her heart overflowing with the happiness and joy she felt at this moment. Who else but he would think of the Winter Solstice to bless their union?


	53. Curse of Love

Prompt: Semantics & Hazy & Falter & Jagged via Aurora Antheia Raine

* * *

**Curse of Love  
**

They came downstairs, hand in hand, and sat together beneath the kotatsu, staring at Shippo, Rin, and InuYasha who seemed to be arguing over something. They quieted when Kagome and Sesshomaru joined them, the hanyou turning to the two and narrowing his eyes with a scowl. "Well aren't you two all cozy?" He muttered, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes. Kagome frowned and scooted closer to Sesshomaru, her fingers lacing between his as she glared at the hanyou. His behavior was really beginning to tick her off! What right did he have to say anything? He chose Rin! Jerk!

"This Sesshomaru presumes you have come to discuss something of importance. We did not invite you today in order to prevent our mate's distress. We even made it _very clear_ that you should not be told." At this he turned to Shippo, who shifted uncomfortably. Kagome watched this with sad eyes, turning to look to her adoptive son. Did he not approve of her marriage to Sesshomaru? Turning to look at Sesshomaru with a worried gaze, he did not look at her, but gently rubbed the top of her hand in a soothing motion. His intense stare remained on InuYasha.

The hanyou snorted and smirked. "She ain't your mate _yet_." An uncomfortable silence fell upon them as Kagome shifted, now clinging to Sesshomaru's arm. She didn't like this conversation one bit. InuYasha shouldn't be acting this way. When Sesshomaru let out a rumbling growl, Kagome turned and gasped. His eyes were completely bled red and his markings were jagged as they cut across his face in sharp, angry patterns. Whatever InuYasha was implying had upset him greatly. Kagome leaned in and placed a kiss on his cheek, turning him to look at her. His nostrils flared with his angry breaths.

Staring intently into his gaze, she spoke evenly, hands cupping either side of his face gently. "Don't listen to him, Sesshomaru. I chose _you_. I am _your_ wife. I don't know much about youkai customs, that is true, I don't understand the difference between marriage and mating, but I do know this – no matter what label you give me, no matter what title I am called by, no matter what might happen in this life, I am _yours_." He let out a rumbling sound and pulled her towards him, burrowing his face into her neck. He was slowly calming down.

When he turned to glare at his half-brother, Sesshomaru was once again himself, but his expression was clear to all, he was very displeased. "What do you want?" Rin and Shippo shifted uncomfortably, turning to look at the hanyou with worried gazes. It was apparent that this was not going how either one had expected it to go. InuYasha looked angry, maybe even a little annoyed and hurt at Kagome's statement. It was obvious that he disapproved of her marriage to Sesshomaru. As far as the hanyou was concerned, his brother was still a bastard and he didn't deserve Kagome.

InuYasha exchanged glances with Rin, who frowned and turned to look at her father figure with a sigh. "We came to warn you. There is something you don't know." Sesshomaru's brow furrowed and Kagome turned to look at them, not releasing Sesshomaru from her grasp as she worried he might lose control again. Rin lowered her gaze and her lip began to tremble as tears started to stream out of her eyes. "It is all my fault! I am so sorry!" Both Kagome and Sesshomaru's eyes widened and they turned to look at InuYasha and Shippo for explanations. InuYasha sighed.

The hanyou reached out to rub Rin's back slowly, the girl crumbling into his embrace as her sobs increased. When InuYasha looked back to Sesshomaru and Kagome, he almost appeared sorry. His gaze caught with Kagome's and his voice took on a softer tone. "I didn't know about all this until later. So don't go all crazy on me." His eyes tore away from her, glancing down at Rin as he sighed. "The whole thing was a plan from the very beginning. When Rin died and you made that deal with the witch, the old hag didn't tell you everything."

InuYasha looked up at Sesshomaru, their gazes no longer angry at each other as the elder realized his brother had genuinely come with important news. The hanyou swallowed nervously. "We went to the old bat years ago, trying to find a way to fix this for you – Rin couldn't stand the idea that it was her fault that you were trapped like that. I managed to get a little information out of her, but not everything. I don't know who did it – she wouldn't tell me. I only know that someone from your past set you up." The hanyou sighed.

"The curse she cast on you, it was just part of the larger spell that had been put on you when you were younger." His gaze faltered and he looked away, brow furrowing as Rin's sobs increased. "We didn't know you'd end up with Kagome. Honestly, I thought your heartlessness would cause you to stay alone i_forever_/i, so we didn't come to you earlier with this. Shippo only knew there was more to it, but didn't know the details. That's why he came to get us. Good thing, too, or we might have been too late. Don't mate with Kagome."

Sesshomaru and Kagome's eyes widened at the same time before the youkai lord was on his feet, lifting the hanyou by the collar. "Do not think you have the right to command us!" InuYasha sighed and shook his head, ears drooping as she looked to Kagome pleadingly. Kagome began to tremble as she realized that yet another problem was going to complicate her life once more. Reaching out, she gently grasped Sesshomaru's arm, urging him to release InuYasha. Sesshomaru turned to Kagome, pulling her to him and she felt the first tears tumble down her face. It just wasn't fair.

When Sesshomaru spoke again, his voice was cracked and full of emotions. "What will happen? Will we die?" InuYasha shook his head at that, turning to look at Rin, who could take no more as she ran from the room in tears. Shippo shook his head and followed her, pausing to give a sad look to Kagome, who finally understood why he had been so against her being with Sesshomaru. He might not have known the extent of the problem, but he knew there was one. She only wished he had told them earlier. Although, it wouldn't have changed anything.

InuYasha shifted uncomfortably, wanting to go after Rin but knowing he had to tell his brother the truth. If not for the fact that, despite Sesshomaru being a jerk, this was a terrible thing that was happening to him – then for Kagome, who he still thought of as a friend. Lowering his head, his left ear twitched as he balled his fist and fought down the sick sensation in his stomach. Why did he always have to be the bearer of bad news to them? "You'll become a dog again. One night with her, that is all you will get."

Kagome gasped as her heart shuddered at those words. Eyes closing, she clung to Sesshomaru as he turned to her, wrapping his arms around her gently. Her tears continued to fall, but they were not for her or even Sesshomaru – but for the lost opportunities she knew the repercussions would bring them. She might not know all the differences in marriage and mating, but she knew that mating started with consummation. Even if they were to get lucky on their first night as husband and wife, and were to have a child – that child would not truly have a father.

If they didn't consummate their marriage, if they never mated – they would _never_ have a child. Kagome pulled back and looked up at Sesshomaru who was staring down on her with the sorriest expression she had ever seen on his face. While neither one had discussed it, she knew that he had hoped just as she did. They had both wanted to start anew, to leave the past behind and forge a new future. She wanted to be a mother again, to never leave her child until death; he wanted to be a better father than the one he had.

"Kagome…" He began, but stopped as he lifted her and carried her to her room. Her eyes widened and she gasped as she gently laid her on the bed, leaning in to kiss her on the forehead. She looked at him questioningly, pushing against him as she shook her head. They couldn't do this! Her tears intensified as she began to sob when he started to kiss her tears away. "One night is better than none. Please, if I have learned anything from my sire it is that giving life is better, even if you are not there to guide."

That did not make Kagome feel any better, but she could not deny him when he slowly took her innocence beneath the moonlight. It was the most wonderful and heartbreaking moment of her life. When it was over, she wept herself to sleep in his embrace, unable to form words. What had they ever done to deserve this? Hadn't their love broken the curse? What would they have to do in order to truly break it? As her tears faded into soft sobs, which eventually became gentle snores, Sesshomaru stared down at her, leaning in to kiss his wife. Beautiful.

She was the most beautiful and wonderful thing that had ever come into his life. He could not give up the opportunity to sire a child with her. Even if it meant he could never lay with her again, at least he didn't have to leave her behind. He could stay with her; he could still love her, and be by her side for the rest of their days. Sadness filled his gaze as he realized that he hadn't found a way to extend her life, and his brow furrowed as he sat up. How had InuYasha kept Rin alive?

Quickly getting out of bed, he began to tug on clothes and rushed out of the bedroom, stumbling down the stairs in his haste to get to the hanyou and interrogate him on Rin's longevity. When he managed to make it to the bottom of the stairs, he tripped, eyes widening as his vision became blurry. No. It couldn't happen now. Not yet. Just a little longer and he could keep her! Falling to his knees, he clutched at his chest before slumping into the ground and losing himself to darkness. As his body transformed, he whispered her name. "Kagome."


	54. Gifts that Keep on Giving

Prompt: argent via Ava's Oddities Challenge (She changed the name. XD )

* * *

**Gifts that Keep on Giving  
**

Kagome sat up suddenly with a gasp. Looking around the room, it was as if nothing had happened. The beautiful kimono was gone, the snow still fell outside, and she could hear her mother preparing breakfast downstairs. Brow furrowing, she brought trembling hands up to her face as fresh tears swelled in her eyes, only to pause and stare at her hand, eyes widening. There, on her finger, was a simple silver band. A sob tore from her chest as she realized that it was all _true_. It had happened. He had held her, only for one night. All gone.

It was all over, as quickly as it began. Bringing her knees up, she wrapped her arms around them and lowered her head onto them, trying her best not to cry too loudly, but failing miserably. Sesshomaru had been surprisingly gentle, taking his time and drawing out feelings in her that she had never known she could have. He had burned his warmth into every inch of her skin, as if he wanted her to remember that moment forever. It was a success, as she could still feel his fingertips tracing along her skin, still recall every kiss, every embrace.

Why had he done this? Couldn't they have just lived happily together? She understood his desire to sire a child, but what if she wasn't pregnant? What if this was all for nothing? Something soft and wet pressed against her arm and she sniffed before raising her head to look, heart sinking as she saw him standing there, staring at her as if it was all going to be okay. How could this be okay? Didn't he want to be with her? Sesshomaru nudged her again and she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around him. What would they do now?

A gentle knock at the door caused her to look up, only to see InuYasha standing there with a guilty expression on his face. Kagome turned away from him, burying her face into Sesshomaru's fur as the hanyou came in and sat at the end of her bed. InuYasha reached up to scratch at the back of his head as he tried to gather his thoughts. "Look, I don't think this bastard deserves you, but your mom told me what happened and I guess he's done all right by you. So, yeah…" He trailed off and reached into his sleeve.

When he pulled out a small green velvet pouch and held it out to her, Kagome raised an eyebrow suspiciously, but took it. InuYasha sighed and looked away. "We were going to use it for our kid… but… you need it more. Swallow it whole, don't bite down on it." With that, he stood, glaring down at his elder brother. "Don't say I never did anything for you!" Turning to Kagome, he looked as if he wanted to hug her, but thought better of it and folded his arms together. "Think of it as a… what is it… Christmas present?"

After he left, Kagome frowned and opened the pouch, looking inside it. Within sat a small brown sphere, which she curiously licked only to draw her head back and blink. "It's chocolate! This clearly isn't for you." She mumbled, looking over to him with a sigh. She had hoped it would be something to help break this curse once and for all. "Do you think I should?" She wondered, glancing to Sesshomaru warily. He huffed and stared at her, and she shrugged. "Bottoms up!" Swallowing the thing whole proved to be difficult, but after some coughing, she managed. They waited.

Nothing happened. Kagome sighed and turned to look at Sesshomaru. "I don't know what it's supposed to do." Sesshomaru pushed against her, burrowing into her midsection with a sigh. He had an idea of what it was meant to do, but he was trying not to get his hopes up. If it did what he thought it might, he would owe the hanyou far more than he liked to admit. Still, that was a small price to pay to keep Kagome by his side forever. With a whimper, he sniffed at her abdomen, willing the scent of life to rise.

He knew he was being impatient, but if he could only smell the budding growth of their child on her, he would be content. She would find new joy, a new reason to live, in their pup and he would be beside her, ever loyal and protective. Kagome sat back, hands going to the knitting project out of habit. As she began to work on it, she looked to him with a smile. "I hope you never have to wear this." He stared at her, not sure how to respond to that. Her hands stilled. "We should visit the witch."

Sesshomaru blinked and his brow furrowed as he let out a low growl. Kagome going to that witch was a recipe for disaster. Even he had believed her to be trustworthy when he had asked her help with Rin and later when he had requested to be cursed again. Look where _that_ got him?! He stilled when Kagome reached out and scratched behind his ears, knowing that would soothe him. She giggled and he closed his eyes, happy at just hearing her joy. When she stopped, he looked up at her and she smiled. "I can't leave you like this."


	55. Have Faith

Prompt: sacrificial lamb via 1CarinoInu

* * *

**Have Faith  
**

Kagome knocked on the door harshly, waiting with a nervous Sesshomaru at her side. He didn't like that she was still doing this, but he couldn't exactly stop her. He had tried, but unfortunately without thumbs and poison at his disposal she didn't find him that intimidating. All he managed to do was rip off her top in an attempt to keep her from leaving, which resulted in several long embarrassed moments on her part, only for her to surprise him by screaming out about how that was one of her favorite tops. Kagome had never yelled at him before.

He soon learned that she was snappy to _everyone_ as her frustration grew. When her boss had called, asking – very politely – if she was coming to work that day, she yelled at him and told him she had bigger problems right now before hanging up. She didn't even have the freak out session he would have expected after such an error. Instead, she acted as if her behavior was entirely normal. Luckily, for him, Shippo was there to translate somewhat. The kitsune explained that Kagome got this way when she was stressed and told him not to take it personally.

Unfortunately for him, the young woman had heard their little conversation – well, half of it – and had gone on a long rampaging monologue of how this was _entirely_ his fault. Her mother gave her an admonishing look, telling Kagome to calm down. Kagome threw her hands in the air with a frustrated cry. "Calm down? Calm down! I've only been married _one day_ and in that day my long thought to be dead former lover, friend, and brother of my husband appears; I may be pregnant; and the father – my husband – is now a dog!" Kagome's chest heaved with fury.

Shippo shook his head. "He was _always_ a dog, Kagome." He pointed out, getting an exasperated glare from his mother figure and a low growl from Sesshomaru. While that might be true, technically, it certainly wasn't making _anything_ better. Kagome narrowed her eyes on him and he knew he had just signed himself up for doing whatever she was thinking. That was how he found himself standing behind a worried Sesshomaru and an aggravated Kagome as she banged her fist against the witch's door. "Maybe she isn't home?" He wondered, earning a withering look from Sesshomaru. Luckily, he was wrong.

"Yes, yes, what is it?" The old woman growled out, slowly opening the door only for her eyes to widen as a _very_ angry and _quite_ powerful miko pushed her aside and stormed into her home without announcement. The witch narrowed her eyes on the young woman for a few moments, stopping when she noted the girl's companions. Her expression softened and she sighed, opening the door further to allow Sesshomaru and Shippo to enter. "I suppose you want some answers." She said with a raspy breath before going to the kitchen to prepare some tea. Kagome angrily followed her.

The young woman put her hands on her hips, glaring at the witch. "Turn him back!" The old woman sighed and shook her head, mumbling something about impatient young people under her breath as she took her time in gathering the supplies for the tea, turning to raise an eyebrow before pointing to the kitchen table and gesturing for Kagome to sit. The miko let out a frustrated sigh. "I didn't come here for tea; I need you to turn him back, now! _Please_!" The last word was said softly, strained, filled with all the pain and longing she felt.

The witch sighed and set her kettle on the stove, turning to the girl. "I cannot do that. The curse must run its course. If I attempt to stop it now, it may do more harm than good. Neither of us wants that, so we must wait and hope for the best. You need to have faith in your love, in the decisions that he has made and the path he has chosen. If you cannot do this now, how will you ever manage to have patience in the rest of your life together?" She turned back to the stove.

Kagome slumped over in the chair, tears welling in her eyes as her body began to tremble. "Why? Why did this have to happen? Who did this to him?" The old woman shifted nervously, silence filling the kitchen before the howling whistle of the kettle caused both females to jump. The witch removed it, preparing the tea as she glanced over at Sesshomaru, seemingly disturbed by something, before handing a cup of tea to Shippo and turning to bring hers and Kagome's to the table. It was obvious that she didn't want to discuss this. Kagome looked at her, pleadingly.

The old woman shook her head, taking a sip of her tea before looking to Kagome. "The curse was part of a deal I made with the great lord of the west many centuries ago." Kagome gasped and the witch nodded. "Yes, his father. You see, the youkai lord was the only one I knew of who could gather ingredients for a special pill. It would require a youkai's strength to obtain a unique herb that grows within the depths of hell itself. The Inu no Taisho was the only one I could think of that would willingly assist me."

"The pill grants the consumer immortality. In those days, I was young and eager for power. I did not know what I know now. I regret my choices, but I cannot undo what has been done. When the lord requested that I curse his son, I thought he must be the worst father in the entire world. What father would wish their child to lose everything, the moment they found it? However, I underestimated the lord." She took a long drink of her tea, hands trembling as she thought over the past. "He knew much more than he let on."

"He said that someday, he would be gone, and that he had done poorly in teaching his son all that he had learned about love, about life, and about how those two things require each other. You cannot love without life, but you cannot live without love. Even I thought he must be completely insane. I did not understand the meaning of his words until I found a lover of my own. My lover, however, did not wish to live forever – he passed away many centuries ago, leaving me alone." She sighed, taking a slow melancholy sip of her tea.

Kagome frowned. "Why would his father curse him like this? I don't understand. Wasn't the first curse, the one to find love, enough?" She glared down at her tea for a few moments, trying to figure it out before the witch shook her head, slowly pouring herself another cup of tea. When Kagome spoke up, practically yelling, shifting the table with her sudden movements, the witch spilled some of her tea. Kagome stood, hands slamming against the table. "Can't you just take me instead? Hasn't he been through enough already?!" Sesshomaru and Shippo both moved at that, giving angry growls.

The witch laughed brokenly, standing and going over to the counter to get a towel before returning to clean up the mess. "Your desire is noble, but it seems that you have more than one who loves you deeply enough to prevent me from doing such a thing. Even if they were to allow it, I would not do that. The curse that the youkai lord placed on his son is terrible, but there is hope for a solution. We merely have to wait and see if his requirements are met." Kagome fell back into her seat. Wait and see?

How was that a solution to any of this? She glared up at the witch. "What were the conditions of the curse?" The old woman narrowed her eyes on the girl for a moment, before turning away and falling into a fit of coughs. She stood and turned to set the towel in her sink, debating on if she should tell the child this or not. Deciding it couldn't hurt any more than it would later, she turned to Kagome with a solemn expression. Kagome swallowed hard, not liking the strange way the woman was acting. This couldn't end well.

"If you are with child, a decision will have to be made by your lord Sesshomaru. In that moment, he will know what must be done. If he cannot perform this task, the curse will remain. If he can, he will break the curse himself." She did not need to explain what might happen if Kagome was _not_ with child. Eyes widening, Kagome looked down to her flat abdomen, bringing her hand up to rest there and wishing with all her might that she might be pregnant. Everything hung in the balance of a possibility. Sesshomaru went over to her.

When he nuzzled her midsection, inhaling deeply, his brow furrowed and his ears drooped slightly, Kagome felt her heart sink. Glancing up at him, Shippo's emerald eyes held sadness in them as he shook his head. She was not pregnant. The old witch sighed. "You lot are too melancholy! There is no way to know if she is with child, yet! It is far too early for that!" She took up her tea, grinning mischievously and taking a slow sip before looking at Kagome with a smile. "You need to have faith. Hope for the best, plan for the worst."


	56. Eternal Laughter

Prompt: hope via Kneazles

* * *

**Eternal Laughter  
**

"_Hope for the best, plan for the worst_." The witch's words echoed in Kagome's mind as she looked down on Sesshomaru with a mixture of joy and sorrow. She knew the old woman was right. While the great Inu no Taisho seemed to make a lot of strange plans for his sons, plans that often caused them grief, he always somehow knew what his sons would do in the end and things worked out. Hopefully, this would be one of those times. Hope – that word had become her life. All she could do was wish that things would work out.

For his part, Sesshomaru seemed less hopeful as the days went by and he did not find what he sought mingling in Kagome's scent. Her heart lurched every morning as he burrowed his nose in her midsection, inhaling audibly before letting out a small whine, each one more pitiful than the last. The first day was difficult, the next torture. In the end, Kagome told her boss she would not be returning to work, knowing she could not focus on anything but this now. Even her mother was sympathetic, understanding that this was a life altering time for her daughter.

At least, they had something positive in the end, even if it wasn't what they wanted. The witch had explained what happened to her supplies of the immortality pills. In the end, Inu no Taisho had provided her enough of the herb to produce four pills. One, the witch herself took – which she later regretted – the other three were given over as repentance to InuYasha and Rin, for what she had done to Sesshomaru in her youth. They had planned to give the fourth to their child, which had yet to come – instead, they gave it to Kagome. Eternal life.

Kagome brought a hand up to her mouth, lightly touching her lips as her brow furrowed. Would she have taken the pill if she had known what it would do? Despite her broken heart at his actions, InuYasha was still her trusted friend and she had not thought to question on why she should consume it, she simply had done it without thought. That was probably not a smart way to live her life. Mentally scolding herself for a lack of control, she thought it over carefully. It went against everything she knew to try to cheat death like this.

She was born a mortal; she should follow her fate and die when her time comes. Still, looking over at Sesshomaru sleeping with his nose pressed into her stomach, her heart skipped a beat. Even it meant defying the gods, she would rather know that he had _someone_ by his side. His life had not been as easy and privileged as it seemed all those years ago when she first saw him, thinking he was just a spoiled lord with nothing better to do than bully his younger brother. It was better this way. She could stay by his side.

The idea of living beside him, with him cursed for eternity sounded very lonely, though. He shifted in his sleep, one eye cracking open and staring down on her as if he knew her thoughts were melancholy. For a few moments, she felt as if she might break into tears again, but she gathered her courage and set aside the knitting project that she had been working on before reaching out to ruffle him behind the ears. "It's a beautiful day! Let's go outside!" Sesshomaru raised his head, looking to her in surprise as she stood and began to dress.

Calling for Souta, brother and sister – husband and wife, all went outside into the snow. Kagome and Souta took turns throwing their father's ball for Sesshomaru to catch for several long minutes. After a while, however, it became a match of masculine strength and Kagome pouted for a few moments. The young woman formed a mischievous grin and the next thing Souta knew a snowball smashed into his shoulder, tossing the icy mixture into his face. He turned to his sister, gaping and wide eyed before narrowing his gaze on her and looking to Sesshomaru with a grin. "Get her!"

Kagome squealed as Souta began to gather snow for another snowball, hers already prepared in advance, but she missed as she realized that Sesshomaru was taking Souta's side on this and darted after her with a bark. Laughter echoed through the trees as Kagome felt her heart swell at the sound of Sesshomaru's vocalizations – it sounded happy. When he rushed upon her, rising up to lightly push her over in the snow, her laughter was so intense that her face was completely flushed. As she turned to look up at him, she gasped as he slowly licked up her face.

Her chest heaved with the dying remains of her laughter as her blush increased, warming her through as she looked up at him for a few moments, her heart swelling with her love for him before she threw her arms around him. "Eww, gross! Get a room!" Souta teased and Kagome pulled away, eye twitching as she glared at her brother before looking to Sesshomaru conspiratorially. She swore he smiled and in that moment she knew he was now on her side of this game as she gathered another snowball and they both went on the attack. Laughter was reborn.


	57. Lullaby

Prompt: killing me softly via 1CarinoInu

* * *

**Lullaby  
**

That evening had been the most joyous the Higurashi household had in days. Despite their many troubles, the family went on to celebrate Kagome's marriage with a small feast and drinks. They sang songs, played games, and generally tried to ignore the terrible fate that had befallen their family. As her grandfather said: "There is no use is living your whole life worrying about the future. It will come when it comes, how it comes, and there is absolutely nothing you can do about that." Kagome and Sesshomaru exchanged a glance at that, both nodding at the wisdom given them.

They would face this without fear. They might be sad, it might end in a way they would rather it didn't, but there was always a positive to everything. Regardless of what happened, they had each other. Forever. Kagome gasped and sobered slightly as she told her family of the immortality pill and how she would likely outlive them all. Her grandfather's eyes widened, lowering sadly, but he did not express any more disappointment than that. Souta, of course, thought it was awesome. Her mother, however, broke down in tears. Kagome could not tell if she was happy or sad.

When darkness fell, Sesshomaru scratched at the door, requesting to be let out and Kagome looked to her mother before giving a shrug. Her mother went about cleaning up, a task she now had to encourage her son to help with as Jaken had returned with Sesshomaru's mother to their home. Kagome shook her head at her brother's complaining as she pulled on her coat, tossing a scarf around her neck before opening the door and gasping at the cold as she followed Sesshomaru outside. He looked to her firmly, as if to tell her to stay, and she smiled.

She did exactly that, standing on the porch as she shoved her hands into her pockets, watching as her breath formed visible puffs in the air. Sesshomaru padded off into the distance and Kagome wondered what he might need to do. She flushed as she thought that perhaps he just needed to do what all dogs did when they went out, but Reaching up to smack at her face as she tried to get those disturbing mental images out of her mind, she paused as she heard the first ephemeral howl echo into the darkness. This was not like before.

Instead of commanding, dominant, possessive – these howls were lonely, longing, and sad. Kagome slowly lowered her hand as her mouth fell open, tears welling in her eyes as she felt every note reverberate within her heart. As he continued to lament into the night, his voice was slowly joined by others. Her tears began to fall when she listened to the responses, melancholy, but full of hopeful wishes. In that moment she realized what she was witnessing. Sesshomaru was not hiding his weaknesses anymore. He was announcing them to his clan. The clan, in return, was not mocking… but loving.

Times had changed. Sesshomaru had more than proven himself worthy. Hours went by as she listened to their song like communications, her heart trembling with each positive response. She was surely frozen after an hour, but she could no longer feel the cold. When he returned to her side, Kagome felt more in love with him than she had at any other point. As they retreated to her room, curling up together in her warm bed, she wrapped her arms around him and felt her future brighten as the returning responses continued on through the night, lulling her to sleep.


	58. Ironically Helpless

Prompt: vessel via Kneazles

* * *

**Ironically Helpless  
**

Sesshomaru paced in Kagome's room, wondering where she could have gone and why she had to go without him. He admitted to being a little – okay, a lot – possessive since this most recent transformation. Anytime her friends came to visit, particularly Shippo or InuYasha, he wouldn't let her out of his sight, and usually was touching her in some way, showing his dominance over his mate to the potential challengers. He knew it was ridiculous. Kagome would never leave him for them. He just couldn't help himself. Instinct pushed him to protect her, even from things that weren't really threats.

When he heard her happy laughter echoing in the trees from outside, he rushed over to the window, staring out, despite the fact that he _knew_ he couldn't see her from this side of the house. Idiot. Mentally sighing, Sesshomaru turned and pawed at the door, eyes narrowing at the fact that she had shut him in here like a child. What was going on with her lately? More importantly, why was he losing his mind over this? It wasn't as if he was trapped. If he wanted to he could break the door down or smash through the window.

Or… okay, that was it, but _still_ - he wasn't helpless. He let out a whine as she loitered downstairs, apparently in no rush to return to him. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity (really a few minutes) he heard her steps as she came up the stairs and opened the door, popping her head in with a delighted grin. He stared at her as if to ask if she had lost her mind while she was gallivanting around Tokyo. Kagome giggled and finally spoke. "So… I guess you're a little upset with me for not bringing you along?"

His gaze narrowed on her and she giggled again, her face flushing lightly before she finally came into the room, bringing with her a small white box that had a heavy sweet fragrance, a deep green glass bottle, a fork, a plate, and two small saucers. He wondered how she managed to carry it all without dropping it. As if on cue, as soon as he said something she tripped on her own feet and fell forward with a screech. Sesshomaru's eyes widened and he rushed over to her, but unable to help her as she landed on the bed.

The bottle slipped out of her hands and landed with a thunk on the floor, rolling along until it met with the closed door behind him. Kagome sat up suddenly, eyes wide as she took up the white box, frowning. "Oh no!" She cried as she opened it up, only to let out a relieved sigh when she saw it was not smashed. Inside sat a small white cake, topped with strawberries, peaches, and what appeared to be an obese elderly man in a red suit. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at that and looked to her questioningly. Kagome blushed deeply.

"It's Christmas eve – a time for lovers. I had wanted to do this with you, well, you know…" She trailed off, not needing to explain that she had wanted to celebrate this moment with him in his humanoid form. Shaking herself of the moment, she looked to him with a small smile. "I figured, while we can't exactly go out and do something like other couples, we can at least have fun!" Sesshomaru stared down at the cake incredulously. She expected him to eat this? Leaning in, he sniffed it, only to pull back at the sickeningly sweet scent. Disgusting.

Did human males really get tortured once a year by having to consume such things? When he glanced up at Kagome, noting her crestfallen expression he quickly understood why. This was _important_ to her. It didn't make _any_ sense to him and the cake was already causing his stomach to protest horribly, but all that went out the window with one look from her. If it meant she would stop making that expression, he would eat the whole cake right then and there! Kagome stood and went over to pick up the fallen bottle, checking the vessel for any cracks.

When she returned to his side, she held out the bottle. Alcohol. Apparently, she didn't just want him to eat loads of sugary food, but he had to consume liquor as well. Was she _trying_ to make him ill? Sesshomaru closed his eyes and took a few breaths as he counted to ten in his head, forcing himself to stay calm. He would just think of it like a battle. Only in this case, instead of dying, if he failed to do what was needed – he would completely disappoint his bride. Suddenly, dying sounded so much simpler and less painful.

Kagome sliced up a small piece, setting a strawberry and a peach on the cake and placing it on the plate before setting it on the floor beside her as she sat with her back against her bed. He watched her struggle with opening the bottle, trying not to show his impatience that was itching at him to help her. When she finally pried it open, she poured some into each saucer, setting one beside the plate – which he now realized was for him – before taking a liberal drink from the other. She glanced to him and gave a sigh.

"It just isn't the same." She mumbled for a few moments, before flushing and looking away with a guilty expression on her face. Kagome poured more liquor and downed it. When she started on her fourth drink, Sesshomaru began to worry. As she brought the fifth one to her lips, he let out a low growl and she turned to look at him, eyes wide. He looked to the cake, nudging his head towards it as he attempted to get her to eat it, only for his own eyes to widen as he came back with cream on his nose.

Silence stretched between them for a few long moments before Kagome's face broke into a wide grin and she started laughing rather violently. Bringing her hands up, she tried to cover her laughs with one while pointing at his nose with the other. He stared at her as her tears began to develop, streaming down her quite red face as her hands came down to clutch her sides. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes and bent down; taking up the slice she had put on his plate before lifting it up and smothering her nose in it. Kagome stilled, gaping in shock.

He watched as she reached up, wiping at her nose before her grin returned and she looked at him with mirth in her eyes before she licked up the cream off her fingers. Sesshomaru frowned and leaned in to lick at her face, slowly cleaning the confection off her. It really was very sweet, but he found that it was much easier to accept his torture when he was licking it off her startled face. When he finished, Kagome flushed and looked away for a few moments before taking up her fork and stabbing at the cake with a sigh.

Sesshomaru wanted to ask if she was happy, but he didn't need to. He already knew the answer. It was ironic that when he had first returned to her she had done nothing but grieve for him as Yuki the dog – now that he was by her side in this form once more, all she could do was lament for her loss of him as Sesshomaru, lord of the west, her mate and husband. In that moment, he regretted his decision more than ever. For comfort, he curled into her midsection as she ate the cake, inhaling her scent deeply.


	59. A Father's Lesson

Prompt: angel via missartemis88

* * *

**A Father's Lesson  
**

Sesshomaru's eyes widened and his nose pushed against her firmly as he inhaled once more, startling Kagome and causing her to gasp. When he pulled back and let out a howl, the first time he had done this in the house, she blinked. What was wrong with him? She frowned, staring at him in her intoxicated state as she tried to make sense of his behavior. "Do I smell funny?" She wondered, lifting an arm to sniff at her armpits. Her odor was a bit much. Maybe she should bathe? Slowly stumbling to her feet, she went to the door.

As her hand sat on the doorknob, it finally clicked and her eyes widened as she turned to Sesshomaru, almost afraid to hear the news. "Is it…?" He nodded. Tears welled in her eyes as she went to him, kneeling down to throw her arms around him. She was with child! For a moment, she happily clung to him, only to pull back with a frown. She stared at him and he stared at her… and her tears tumbled out as she realized the horrible truth. Nothing was happening! Why wasn't he turning back into himself? It didn't make sense!

Maybe it would take a little time? Kagome sat back, staring at him for a while as she tried to contain her emotions, attempting not to cry at the fact that every minute that went by her heart broke a little more. When an hour passed and he had not changed, Kagome began to feel restless and turned to take up the sweater, knitting through her quiet sobs. Sesshomaru curled up next to her, trying to provide comfort as he realized she had hoped for some sort of immediate change. He couldn't blame her. The curse should have been broken.

He, too, had wished for such a thing – but as of yet he had no answers for what sort of decision he was supposed to make. All he knew was that Kagome was here, she was pregnant with his pup, and he was immensely happy from that news. He watched as she finished the last chain on the sweater, tying it off and staring at it for a few moments before turning with trembling hands to slowly work the thick red monstrosity on him. Kagome stared at him for a while, standing there in her home made sweater, looking annoyed.

Shaking her head, she could take no more and promptly stood, running out the door. Sesshomaru frowned, sitting for a moment as he watched her leave, wondering if he should follow. When he heard her mother's worried cries and the sound of the front door slamming he rushed after her. Scratching at the door, he waited for her mother to open it before running outside, eyes wide as he sniffed the air for her scent. It was here… and then it wasn't. His brow furrowed as his heart raced, trying to find her as the snow fall began to increase.

Where was she? He ran around the house in the darkness, quickly realizing she was not there as he returned to the front door. A terrified scream filled the night and every hair on his body stood as adrenaline coursed through him at the sound. Running towards the sound, he ignored the stairs and darted through the trees, noting that she had somehow made it down the stairs and on down the street by the time he had realized she was no longer home. Another scream filled the night as the sounds of a scuffle filled the area. Sesshomaru ran.

As fast as he could run, pushing himself as far as he could go in this form, he broke through the trees, only for time to freeze in that moment as he saw Kagome, trapped in her intoxicated fear as she rose her arms to cover herself from the oncoming car. For a few breaths, he wondered what it was with her and out of control motor vehicles, before something within him suddenly clicked into place. Finally, after so long, he at last understood his father's lesson. His father's voice echoed in his head. "_Do you have something to protect?"_

Kagome let out a frightened scream as the street was filled with a great roar, followed by a crunching sound and another person (the driver?) screaming. Warmth enveloped her and she looked up, only for her hazy, tear-filled vision to barely make out what was happening. Kagome had never really believed in angels before, but there, hovering above her in the faint yellow light of the streetlamp, certainly was one. His golden eyes stared down at her fiercely; his white hair billowed around him as the snow continued to fall upon them. Kagome gasped before darkness swallowed her. Sesshomaru sighed.

This would be the second time she fainted just because of his appearance. She was really going to have to get used to it. Frowning, he looked up as the driver of the now smashed vehicle came out to stare at him in shock, unsure if they should ask if he was alright or yell at him for the state of their car. Sesshomaru merely stood there in the cold street, nearly nude – save for the now stretched sweater she had put on him – holding Kagome with his right hand as his left remained in a fist, protecting his love.

With a slow breath, he lifted her into his arms, ignoring the noisy human as he turned away and carried her back into the wood, back to the shrine. When she was finally situated in her warm bed, he struggled to remove the sweater, trying not to rip it off in frustration, before he dressed and settled down beside her, pulling her cold body into his embrace. Staring out at the moon hanging above them, he realized that his father had known something about him that even he had never understood. This was the second time he had saved her.

Yet, this time was different than the last. The last time, he had been worried for her, willing to give up anything to save her – but he had not once thought of possibly losing his life for her. It had never occurred to him, had never come to him that he might have to give it all up just so that she may live. Her immortality would have probably saved her, though, so he had to sadly admit that he still had failed to worry as much as he should have. His hand came to rest upon her soft abdomen.

The child within her – they were not immortal. It was one thing to save her, to throw his life away for his own selfish desires to have her alive – but it was another to give his life for the sake of another life, even a life he might never know. Closing his eyes, he burrowed into Kagome's neck, finally understanding his father's reason for going after Izayoi. He had not died for the sake of the human woman. He could revive her. The great and fearsome leader of the inu had given his life for his own pup's – for InuYasha.

Sleep came to him in slow bursts, as he continued to worriedly scent her, assuring that the delicate life within her still grew. It was a harsh lesson, to say the least, but he could understand his father's reasoning now. He never would have listened before, he could not understand what his sire had only come to realize far too late in his own long life. His father had made many mistakes in raising him due to his own misunderstandings. Now, Sesshomaru could assure that he would not make the same errors. His pups would know they were _always_ loved.


	60. Joyful Sorrow

Prompt: riddles & esoteric via missartemis88

* * *

**Joyful Sorrow  
**

Sometime in the evening, she finally woke, sitting up quickly, only for her heart to still as she looked down on his sleeping form. With a soft sigh of relief, she leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on his lips, almost wishing he would wake for her. He didn't, but she enjoyed it nonetheless, her heart swelling at the realization that – barring something unexpected – he was back, he was free, and he was _hers_. Through hooded eyes, she slowly traced the markings on his face, listening to the gentle rise and fall of his breaths. She was so lucky.

A faint giggle came from her at that. When she had named him Yuki, all those weeks ago, she hadn't expected anything like _this_! She had hoped that the dog would enter her world and help heal the gap of her broken heart, her foolish crush, and her need to move on from the past. Instead, he had rushed in and filled her heart with him. Even when her heart had been riddled with holes from all the terrible things that happened, he came along and gently poured himself into her, overflowing her heart with his very presence. How amazing.

If someone had told her just a month ago that she would have fallen madly in love with Sesshomaru, the stoic and angry elder brother of her former lover, she would have blushed before breaking down into a fit of laughter and tears. The very idea was insane! How could someone who seemed so afraid to love a mere child be able to share a passionate romance with her? How could she, who had been so torn on her lost love, be able to give herself to another? Yet, somehow, it had come to be true. He had enamored her.

As if they were speaking in a language only they knew, they had somehow come to love one another through the many crazy, sad, and magical moments they shared together. From the first moment she had seen him, shivering in the cold, to now – as he lay there beside her, finally at peace with himself and the world. A faint smile came to her face as she rested her head on his chest, her eyes slowly fluttering closed at the soft rhythm of his heart. Before she knew what was happening, tears were tumbling out of her eyes. Not again…

She sighed as she reached up to wipe at her face, a frown marring her features and she stilled when he shifted and slowly opened his eyes to stare down on her. "What is wrong, Kagome?" He wondered, his hand coming up to brush aside the tears that were falling down her face. She shrugged and shook her head lightly. She had cried so many times over the past few days, she was a little amazed she had anything left to give, but here she was… crying like a baby… and she didn't even know _why_. Sesshomaru sat up slowly.

When he leaned in to kiss her gently, her heart swelled with her love for him and she felt the first sob tear through her. He pulled her into his embrace, reaching up to lightly pet her head as he whispered into her ears, soothing her heart. "It is all over, Kagome. I swear to you that nothing will come between us again. We are together, in body, mind, and spirit – for now and forever. Do not fear. I will protect you." She nodded as she curled up in his embrace and understood that her tears were ones of joy.


	61. Reconciliation

Prompt: Sesshomaru meets with an old political advisor who dislikes Kagome due to past infractions with InuYasha via Teriyaki Flavored

* * *

**Reconciliation  
**

Early the next morning, Kagome woke to Sesshomaru gently shaking her. When he explained that he needed to return to his home, her heart sank at the idea of him going away so quickly after he had returned to her. Sesshomaru stood and dusted himself off, fixing his clothing from their slumber before turning to her and raising an eyebrow at her. "Are you going to get ready or do you require assistance in dressing, Kagome?" Her eyes widened and a slow, burning blush crept onto her face at the mental image of him dressing her. "We must go home."

She looked up at him then, breath catching in her throat as she realized that his home was now _her_ home. Standing nervously, she dressed quickly, not sure what she should be prepared for. Where did he live, anyway? Her mind went over the possibilities, and she laughed to herself as she paused in the middle of tying up her hair when the image of a huge cave came to her mind. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes on her and took up the task of tying her hair up, irritated at her slow movements. He wanted to show off for her.

He wanted to give her the one thing he could, aside from himself, everything they owned. To show her everything that was hers – which was all they could see from the floating fortress. To introduce her as the lady of the west, and shower her in all the finery he could. To spend long afternoons lazily reading in the garden with her beside him, to sleep and rise every day with her in his bed… what did she have to take her sweet time for? He stilled after righting her hair, realizing she had no reason to be that excited.

He had never told her of the grandeur of his childhood home. Understanding his mistake, he willed himself to be more patient, waiting as she gathered her things and went to say goodbye to her family. Her mother was shocked that they were leaving so soon, but was quickly placated when he told her they would return before the New Year for a visit. With that, they left the shrine behind, Kagome clinging to him as they rose into the skies and flew towards his home. They rose through the clouds, and Kagome stared around as they began to land.

She frowned and looked to him curiously. "There is nothing there!" She cried out, startled as he began to release her onto what appeared to be empty sky, high above the Japanese countryside. Her eyes widened as she looked to him, noting the wide smile that grew on his face as he let go of her waist, her body slipping down into what she was sure would be oblivion. "Sesshomaru!" She screeched, only to stop when her feet touched solid ground and suddenly, like a ripple in a still pond, the sky _shifted_ and she was standing before his home.

"Our home." He reminded her gently as she stood, shocked, trying to get her pulse to slow. She spun on him, ready to throw a thousand curses at him for tricking her, only for her breath to catch as she finally saw the castle itself. For a few moments, she swore she heard him laugh, but as quickly as it came; it went, carried away on the cool breeze. Her eyes caught on something as the sun began to rise, illuminating the tattered and flapping material and her brow furrowed. Flags? No. She gasped as she realized they were clothes.

"Sesshomaru, what is…" She didn't have the chance to question him as a flaunty looking youkai, dressed in elaborate green robes, came out of the entrance and rushed at Sesshomaru, immediately going on about something or other that apparently was so important that it required his attention _right then_. Kagome didn't think much of it, at first, but frowned a few seconds later when the deep blue eyes of the youkai turned to glare at her. Her eyes widened and she frowned before following them pointedly. She was pretty sure this youkai hated humans. Did she had news for him!

She was not going _anywhere_! They walked along hallways, Kagome ignoring things she likely would have noticed had she not been so determined to set her place in this world, and sure enough, when they finally made it to Sesshomaru's study, the youkai turned to ask if she _had_ to be there. Kagome gasped and placed her hands on her hips, pointing at the regal youkai accusingly. "I'll have you know that I'm here because of _him_!" She said, gesturing to Sesshomaru without looking at him before continuing on her tirade. "And I'm not going _anywhere_ unless he says so!"

"You heard her, Takashi. She's not going to go anywhere just because you're uncomfortable with her." Sesshomaru said as he opened his study and went in, turning with a shake of his head as his mate and his military advisor glared at each other. "Takashi – she is our mate. You will show her the respect she is due." He prompted, causing the other inu to falter in his glare, giving a slight bow to Kagome before turning to enter the study as if she did not exist. Sesshomaru fought down amusement when Kagome stomped in and sat next to him.

It was rather funny how she was so possessive of him over someone like Takashi. He had known Takashi since they were young, and – while they weren't exactly friends – he knew the inu was fiercely loyal to the clan. Deciding it was better to get to the bottom of this before he had a real problem on his hands (an arguing mate and military advisor were not exactly going to lead the clan to prosperity), he turned to Takashi and finally asked. "You have never had an issue with humans before, why do you act this way towards our mate?"

Takashi tore his gaze from Kagome, looking to his master with a small sigh. "It has to do with your time before the curse. When she was part of InuYasha's minor pack. They often caused a great deal of trouble." He grit his teeth together at the thought of it. Sesshomaru's eyes widened in understanding as he turned to his mate and took her hand in his, letting out a low growl to soothe her. Kagome sighed, the tension in her chest releasing slowly. These were old hurts and Sesshomaru would not allow the past to do any more harm.

Looking back to his advisor he nodded. "This Sesshomaru understands, Takashi. Please accept our apologies on behalf of our mate. If we had been more responsible in our youth, perhaps the burden of your post would not have been so great whenever our brother and mate were in pursuit of Naraku." Both Kagome and Takashi turned to stare at him in shock, although for entirely different reasons. Takashi was surprised that his master apologized as if it were somehow _his_ fault, a clear sign of extreme favor. Kagome, however, was pleasantly startled by Sesshomaru's honorable use of the word _brother_.


	62. Fragility

Prompt: elixir via missartemis88

* * *

**Fragility  
**

After many hours of discussing matters of recruiting new soldiers, outfitting said soldiers, enacting protection payments from lower youkai homes, and maintaining youkai secrecy from humans, Takashi finally left, giving a wary but respectable glance towards Kagome who had already fallen asleep against Sesshomaru's shoulder. He frowned and shifted, bringing a hand up to feel her forehead. This was not good. She was clearly ill. Her breathing was shallow, with heavy moisture to it, and she was often coughing. Worse, she was burning up. Lifting her carefully, he carried her into their room, laying her on the new futon slowly.

This was very bad. He had not yet obtained a healer as the position was proving to be difficult to fill. Jaken had been working on it for days, but had yet to find someone suitable to be a healer for youkai, human, and hanyou. They would require a healer knowledgeable in all three, but no one had expected them to need one so soon. Absently, he wondered if the immortality pill could keep her alive through deadly illnesses and frowned at that thought, too. There was so much they didn't know. He sighed. He would have to leave her.

If there was anyone who could help her, it would be her mother. Nodding to himself, he tucked her carefully in the bedding, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead before leaving her to rest while he retrieved Mrs Higurashi. Sesshomaru could only hope that she would have an elixir to soothe Kagome's illness. All that running around in the snow had done Kagome in. She was so fragile. As he took off, he would not notice the figure of his mother, slowly entering the room and standing at his bedside, staring down on his sleeping mate with intense eyes.


	63. Absolutely Perfect

Prompt: Christmas miracle via Kneazles (last prompt!)

* * *

**Absolutely Perfect  
**

When Sesshomaru returned with the myriad of things Mrs Higurashi gave him (she refused to allow him to fly her to his home) he entered the room, only to pause at the sight of his mother sitting beside Kagome. For a moment, he worried, nearly dropping the bag of supplies his mother-in-law had given him, only to freeze when his mother turned to him with a faint smile. "Hush. She's sleeping well now. You should have told us she was ill, Sesshomaru." He blinked, eyes trailing from his smiling mother to the floor beside the bed where a tray sat.

Brow furrowing, he sniffed lightly, the scent of the soup quickly filling his senses as memories from his childhood returned to him. Licking his suddenly dry lips, Sesshomaru took a stumbling step forward, his heart beating erratically at the thought of his mother caring for Kagome like she had so many days and nights when he was just a small, sickly pup. When he made it to the end of the bed, he stilled once more as the room was filled with the peaceful humming of his mother, singing a very familiar song. One he had heard many times before.

"Mother…" He managed to get out, the word coming out thick with emotion as she looked up at him with a smile. For a few moments, he was grateful to have her here, to have her helping him care for Kagome. Looking down on his mate, he realized her breathing had steadied and she was no longer coughing as heavily. Setting down the things he had brought, he went over to sit beside Kagome, opposite his mother, before reaching out to test her temperature. Letting out a relieved sigh he looked up at his mother who was staring at him.

"Our beautiful son. You have done so well." She brought her hand up, gently running her fingers along his markings as he watched her eyes dancing in the firelight. "We always knew that you were worthy. We never doubted you. No matter what others may say, no matter your sire's failings, no matter what life may throw at you – you have always stood proud in our eyes. Now that you have your own little one on the way, we hope you remember why we named you what we did. You immediately killed our sadness and were, above everything… _absolutely perfect_."

Sesshomaru felt something inside him stir, something that he had once thought was only associated with Kagome – the warm life that grew within his heart, the thick vines that formed whenever he found love in the moments he had with her – suddenly blossomed into a thousand tiny buds. In that moment, he finally learned the truth about love – that it comes in many shapes, sizes, and ways – that it is not about what you receive, but what you give – and, perhaps, the most important of all, the thing that he had denied himself for so long: it was _always there_.


	64. Epilogue

**Epilogue  
**

Kagome and Sesshomaru sat together in the garden, she leaning against him as he read something and she knitted a much smaller project than her last, for a much smaller puppy. His hands rested on her very swollen abdomen as he rumbled to her, content, and she looked up to him with a gentle smile, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed and he turned to pin her down with an intense stare that said she shouldn't have interrupted his reading, to which she responded with a smirk and a defiant look. Both soon forgot their projects.

The days together in the floating fortress were always exciting, but Sesshomaru never regretted his choices as he continued to nourish the tender blossoms that had formed in his heart. As each one faded away into memories, he cherished the petals while nurturing the new blooms of memories to come. There was just one, final, very important, pressing question he had on his mind that he had to ask. Pulling away, he looked down on her, raising an eyebrow at her. Kagome smiled up at him from her position beneath him on the grass. "Why _toasters_, of everything?" She laughed.

**~*FIN*~**

* * *

And so, dear friends, we come to the end… and what have we learned? We have learned that love is more than just what we give to each other, but how we treat one another. That it is more than what we say to each other, but how we respond. And more importantly, that even if you are less than perfect in the eyes of some, you are absolutely perfect – just the way you are – and thus, love will _always_ be there for you. Happy holidays, may you go on to spread this lesson to others, gently nourishing the blossoms of love within the hearts of those you meet.


End file.
